id not approve of his influence over
Helen. It was too purely masculine. And Helen was too young to have a
man friend. It might divide her school interest, and she had selected
Aldred House because she wanted Helen to have the best feminine
training.

Mrs. Aldred had smiled over this when she read Mrs. Van Dorn's letter.
Strange that the fear should so soon have materialized.

"Will you please read it," asked Helen in a low tone. "I think he
doesn't quite like a girls' school. And he is all for study. He would
push anyone right straight along, and he believes my music would be
wasted time. I dare say I confessed I was not very bright at it."

The letter was certainly unobjectionable, a little severe perhaps,
betraying the school principal, but still showing the high esteem in
which he held Helen's capabilities. Such a correspondence would not be
likely to do any student harm.

"You see, Helen," she began in a tone of sweet friendliness, "I am
answerable for the girls committed to my charge. Some of the older ones
have young men friends who would be very glad to keep up a
correspondence, and no doubt two or three years hence the girls would
feel mortified at knowing letters of theirs were in the man's
possession. I have known young lads to read letters aloud to their
college or club friends. It is a demoralizing and indiscreet thing, and
no high-minded mother would consent to her daughter doing it without her
knowledge or inspection. One rule, therefore, must apply to all such
correspondences without the mother's consent. A letter like this would
do a girl no harm, indeed, I think your Mr. Warfield rather severe."

"I don't quite understand how I could have done it so carelessly," Helen
said in her frank, honest way. "And I am very, very sorry. But I should
like to write and explain to him why it is"--she cast about for a
word--"inadmissable."

"Of course it is best to do that."

Helen glanced up in such a straightforward fashion. There was nothing
concealed. And to make her renunciation still more earnest and the
obedience more cheerful, she said:

"I don't mean that I shouldn't care for the letters, for I understand
what Mr. Warfield means by every line, and sometimes it would be a
pleasure to write to so good a friend, for after all I owe him the best
fortune of my life. I am doing it without any demur because it is one of
the rules of the school and I do honestly and truly wish to keep them."

"Thank you f