you don't think it's
for your happiness, but only for his, and you wish to do it, still we
shall be willing, and you know that as far as your father and I are
concerned, there will never be a word of reproach--not a whisper."

"Lottie would despise me; and what would Richard say?"

"Richard would never say anything to wound you, dear, and if you don't
despise yourself, you needn't mind Lottie."

"But I should, momma; that's the worst of it! I should despise myself,
and he would despise me too. No, if I see him, I am going to do it
because I am selfish and wicked, and wish to have my own way, no matter
who is harmed by it, or--anything; and I'm not going to have it put on
any other ground. I could see him," she said, as if to herself, "just
once more--only once more--and then if I didn't believe in him, I could
start right off to Europe."

Her mother made no answer to this, and Ellen lay awhile apparently
forgetful of her presence, inwardly dramatizing a passionate scene of
dismissal between herself and her false lover. She roused herself from
the reverie with a long sigh, and her mother said, "Won't you have some
breakfast, now; Ellen?"

"Yes; and I will get up. You needn't be troubled any more about me,
momma. I will write to him not to come, and poppa must go back and get
his ticket again."

"Not unless you are doing this of your own free will, child. I can't
have you feeling that we are putting any pressure upon you."

"You're not. I'm doing it of my own will. If it isn't my free will, that
isn't your fault. I wonder whose fault it is? Mine, or what made me so
silly and weak?"

"You are not silly and weak," said her mother, fondly, and she bent over
the girl and would have kissed her, but Ellen averted her face with
a piteous "Don't!" and Mrs. Kenton went out and ordered her breakfast
brought back.

She did not go in to make her eat it, as she would have done in the
beginning of the girl's trouble; they had all learned how much better
she was for being left to fight her battles with herself singlehanded.
Mrs. Kenton waited in the parlor till her husband same in, looking
gloomy and tired. He put his hat down and sank into a chair without
speaking. "Well?" she said.

"We have got to lose the price of the ticket, if we give it back. I
thought I had better talk with you first," said Kenton, and he explained
the situation.

"Then you had better simply have it put off till the next steamer. I
have been talk