utiful equipages, and elegantly dressed women."

Helen shook her head, "I shall never have the chance to like or dislike
that. Oh, yes," brightening, "I can read it in a book and imagine myself
in the midst of it."

"I thought you ware planning to teach school, and save up money, and
take journeys."

"Oh, I do, and all manner of extravagant things. But I am afraid they
are air castles." For somehow the reality of her life had come over her
again. She belonged to Hope Center, not to North Hope. And maybe she
never could get over there.

Mrs. Van Dorn thought of herself at Helen's age. Where would her
ambitions lead her. _She_ had had no ambitions to rise in life. How
gladly she would have married her first common-place lover, and accepted
a life of drudgery. What queer things girls were! and how strange that
when she was tired and worn out, and almost desperate, the best of
fortune should come to her. It seldom happened, she knew. The old life
was a vague dream, she had only lived since her marriage. In a way she
coveted this girl's freshness and energy. To have someone to really and
truly love her--was there any such thing in life, to old age?

She had coveted Clara Gage with the same desire of possession. She had
persuaded her to give up home, mother, three sisters and one brother.
But she had never ceased to love them. And they had nearly outweighed a
journey to Europe. Perhaps they would. Clara was about eighteen when she
took her, this girl was fourteen. She would be more pliable, and she was
not really in love with her people. But there would be years of
training, and there was a certain strength in the girl. Sometimes they
might clash, and she did not want to be disturbed at her time of life.
Then too--there were certain adventitious aids to ward off the shadow of
coming years. Clara knew about them, and she had grown used to her.
_She_ would be getting older every year.

They were a little late at dinner. How delightful and orderly and
refined everything was! Helen luxuriated in it. And yet it was only
ordinarily nice living. Helen could see the table at home. The kitchen
was large and the table at one end, and they always had meals there
except when there was company, and often then the children were kept out
there. The smells of the cooking did not give it the savory fragrance
she read about in books. It was hot and full of flies, for the door was
always on the swing.

They were around the table, everyo