r a certainty. In spite of his abundant means, he talked much of
poverty, and kept the household on the narrowest footing of economy.
One Irishwoman, with a little aid from her husband now and then, did all
their work; and the only company they saw was Miss Cynthia Badlam, who,
as a relative, claimed a home with them whenever she was so disposed.

The "little Indian," as Malachi called her, was an awkward accession to
the family. Silence Withers knew no more about children and their ways
and wants than if she had been a female ostrich. Thus it was that she
found it necessary to send for a woman well known in the place as the
first friend whose acquaintance many of the little people of the town
had made in this vale of tears.

Thirty years of practice had taught Nurse Byloe the art of handling the
young of her species with the soft firmness which one may notice in cats
with their kittens,--more grandly in a tawny lioness mouthing her cubs.
Myrtle did not know she was held; she only felt she was lifted, and
borne up, as a cherub may feel upon a white-woolly cloud, and smiled
accordingly at the nurse, as if quite at home in her arms.

"As fine a child as ever breathed the breath of life. But where did them
black eyes come from? Born in Injy,--that 's it, ain't it? No, it's her
poor mother's eyes to be sure. Does n't it seem as if there was a
kind of Injin look to 'em? She'll be a lively one to manage, if I know
anything about childun. See her clinchin' them little fists!"

This was when Miss Silence came near her and brought her rather severe
countenance close to the child for inspection of its features. The
ungracious aspect of the woman and the defiant attitude of the child
prefigured in one brief instant the history of many long coming years.

It was not a great while before the two parties in that wearing conflict
of alien lives, which is often called education, began to measure
their strength against each other. The child was bright, observing, of
restless activity, inquisitively curious, very hard to frighten, and
with a will which seemed made for mastery, not submission.

The stern spinster to whose care this vigorous life was committed
was disposed to discharge her duty to the girl faithfully and
conscientiously; but there were two points in her character and belief
which had a most important bearing on the manner in which she carried
out her laudable intentions. First, she was one of that class of human
being