gold spoon in her mouth as far as
finances were concerned. The poor professor felt that he had been left
with something worse than a white elephant on his hands, for he knew
absolutely nothing about girls, and Marion, with her morbid,
super-sensitive temperament, was a constant puzzle to him. She had been
in a convent school until recently. But now her physicians advised that
she be taken out and sent to some place in the country where she could
lead an active out-door life for an entire year. They recommended a
climate similar to the one at Lone-Rock.

The Professor could make arrangements for her to board in Doctor Gray's
family, quite near the Wares, and felt that she would be well taken care
of there, physically, but he recognized the necessity of providing for
her in other ways. She had no resources of her own for entertainment,
and he knew she would fret herself into a decline unless some means were
provided to interest and amuse her. He had been wonderfully impressed
with Mary's ability to make the best of every situation, and after he
had once been awakened to the fact that she was an unusual specimen of
humanity, had studied her carefully. Now he confided to Mrs. Levering
his greatest desire for Marion was that she might grow up to be as self
reliant and happy-hearted a young girl as Mary.

Seeing how she had aroused such a love for nature study in the boys, he
felt that she might do the same for Marion. It was really a marvel, Mrs.
Levering insisted, how she had bewitched both her Carl and Tommy Seldon.
They were in a fair way to become as great cranks as the old professor
himself. Now this was the proposition he wanted to make. That Mary
should take the place of teachers and text-books, for awhile, and devote
herself to the task of making Marion forget herself and her imaginary
grievances; to interest her in wood-lore to the extent of making her
willing to spend much time out of doors, and to imbue her if possible
with some of the cheerful philosophy that made the entire Ware family
such delightful companions.

"Of course," explained Mrs. Levering, "he understands that one could
never be adequately repaid for such a service. It would be worth more
than any course at college or any fortune, to Marion, if she could be
changed from a listless, unhappy girl to one like yourself. She will tax
your ingenuity and require infinite tact and patience, but he feels that
you can do more for her than any older person,