thing to have him know what she
had been through with that--rapscallion!"

"Sarah!"

"Oh, you may Sarah me! But I can tell you what, Mr. Kenton: I believe
that you could tell him every word of it, and only make him appreciate
her the more. Till you know that about Ellen, you don't know what a
character she is. I just ached to tell him!"

"I don't understand you, my dear," said Kenton. "But if you mean to tell
him--"

"Why, who could imagine doing such a thing? Don't you see that it is
impossible? Such a thing would never have come into my head if it hadn't
been for some morbid talk of Ellen's."

"Of Ellen's?"

"Oh, about wanting to disgust him by telling him why she was such a
burden to us."

"She isn't a burden!"

"I am saying what she said. And it made me think that if such a person
could only know the high-minded way she had found to get out of her
trouble! I would like somebody who is capable of valuing her to value
her in all her preciousness. Wouldn't you be glad if such a man as he is
could know how and why she feels free at last?"

"I don't think it's necessary," said Kenton, haughtily, "There's only
one thing that could give him the right to know it, and we'll wait for
that first. I thought you said that he was frivolous."

"Boyne said that, and Lottie. I took it for granted, till I talked with
him to-day. He is light-hearted and gay; he likes to laugh and joke; but
he can be very serious when he wants to."

"According to all precedent," said the judge, glumly, "such a man ought
to be hanging round Lottie. Everybody was that amounted to anything in
Tuskingum."

"Oh, in Tuskingum! And who were the men there that amounted to anything?
A lot of young lawyers, and two students of medicine, and some railroad
clerks. There wasn't one that would compare with Mr. Breckon for a
moment."

"All the more reason why he can't really care for Ellen. Now see here,
Sarah! You know I don't interfere with you and the children, but I'm
afraid you're in a craze about this young fellow. He's got these friends
of his who have just turned up, and we'll wait and see what he does with
them. I guess he appreciates the young lady as much as he does Ellen."

Mrs. Kenton's heart went down. "She doesn't compare with Ellen!" she
piteously declared.

"That's what we think. He may think differently."

Mrs. Kenton was silenced, but all the more she was determined to make
sure that Mr. Breckon was not interested in Miss Rasm