l me?"

"To begin with, do you know where I get the money I pay for your
schooling and clothes?"

"My father left you some money, didn't he?"

"He left me a small property which rents for two hundred dollars a
year."

"You pay three hundred a year for me, don't you?"

"For your school bills, yes. Besides, I give you an allowance and buy
your clothes."

"How do you do it?" asked Nicholas, in surprise. "Have you sold the
house?"

"No. If I should do that, there would soon be nothing left. That was the
problem I had to solve three years ago, when your father died."

"What did you do?"

"I felt that the property must not be touched, save the income. I saw
that it was necessary for me to exert myself, or I should be unable to
educate you as I desired. I had a good education, and I determined to
avail myself of it. I therefore went to a teacher's agency in New York
and set forth my desire to obtain the position of governess in some
family in the country."

"You a governess!"

"Why not? It was the only way I could think of that would yield me an
income. After waiting a few weeks I succeeded. A wealthy gentleman,
living in a country town of moderate size, saw my testimonials, was
pleased with them, and engaged me to superintend the education of an
orphan niece resident in his family. He offered me a fair
salary--enough, added to the rent which I received from the property
left me by your father, to justify me in putting you at this
boarding-school. That was three years ago."

"Why didn't you tell me all this before, mother?"

"It would have done no good. I preferred that you should think of me as
possessing an independent property. I felt that it would enable you the
better to hold up your head among your school-fellows, as they could
know nothing of your antecedents."

"Does Dr. Benton know this?" asked Nicholas, quickly.

"No; he only knows that I am a widow, He supposes that I have sufficient
means."

"I am glad of that."

"Would it make any difference with him?"

"I don't know. Any way, I'd rather he wouldn't know it."

Nicholas Thorne sat by his mother's side thoughtful. He was disappointed
to think that his mother's means were so limited, since it curtailed his
future expectations. The thought of that mother working patiently to
defray his expenses at school made comparatively little impression. He
was essentially selfish, and, so long as his wants were provided for, he
cared little who labored