not believe in education in modern methods, nor
anything but saving up money. How did it look to grandfather Craven on
the other side of the river, she wondered?

"I wish I could help you," Helen began presently. All her sympathy went
out to the girl of nineteen who was very little older than herself, who
had lost four or five of the choicest years out of her life. If it had
been because her mother was an invalid all that time, one could see the
use of it. Or if her grandfather had been poorly and needed care.

"Oh, you have helped me by understanding as you do," returned Miss
Craven. "And now when I catch a glance of your eye it will give me
courage."

"I am sure you are right. And if some of the girls knew your story----"

"Oh, no, no!" with quick, pained apprehension, "I shouldn't want them
to. I hope you----"

Juliet Craven felt she could trust this girl without a word, that it
would be almost an insult to doubt her integrity. Why, she did not know.
She was not sufficiently versed in human nature to explain its
intricacies.

"If you mean that I could not betray a confidence, you are just right
there," with a heightened color. "But Miss Grace is wise and judicious
and understands girls."

"Only--I don't know as I can make it clear, but I am afraid of almost
everybody. I have lived alone so much, I think I am like someone who has
been blind for years and whose eyes are suddenly opened, and he cannot
judge accurately of anything. I hear the girls at times mapping out
characters with such a degree of certainty that I envy them. I do not
seem to know how to judge anyone."

"And their judgment isn't right half the time," laughed Helen. "It takes
a great deal of wisdom and experience to do this, and I do not believe
any young schoolgirl has enough. I haven't. I've changed my mind ever so
many times about some of the girls until I almost began to think I
hadn't any mind at all."

Juliet Craven smiled at that. If this bright girl could not judge
correctly--but then she was not fifteen, and she, Juliet, more than four
years older.

"I am glad someone knows it all. I have only told half to Mrs. Aldred,
though I suppose Mrs. Howard explained why I was so backward. Oh, do you
think I shall ever catch up?" and there was a piteous anxiety in her
voice.

"Why, you have done a great deal in music in this brief time."

"But I love music so. And literature enchants me. But analysis of
language, and higher mathematics-