lder sister. It was too late to change her
plans. She ventured one parting injunction. "Pray, Virginia, do not
patronize the shop. Let me beg of you, if you have any regard for me."

* * * * *

In Mrs. Millard's sudden departure the Terrace naturally felt an
interest.

"So Caroline's going to leave us," Judge Russell remarked at the
breakfast table. "We shall be free to do as we please this winter.
I'll have that poplar set out in February."

"Aren't you ashamed, grandfather!" laughed Madelaine. "As if you had
not strength of mind to do as you like."

The judge smiled as he stirred his coffee. "Caroline is a forceful
woman; and then, too, she is generally right. It may be, as she says,
the tree will not grow, but I want to try it."

"I wonder she is willing to leave Virginia all the responsibility of
Charlotte. She is such a headstrong child, and so northern," said Mrs.
Russell.

"Now, mother," expostulated Alexina, "isn't that dreadfully narrow?"

"What harm is there in liking your own part of the country best?"
asked her sister.

"I did not mean any such thing," cried Alex. "I only insist that no
locality has the monopoly of nice people."

"But some peculiarities are northern and some are southern, and I
don't see that it is narrow to prefer one sort above the other,"
Madelaine persisted. "How can Mrs. Millard make up her mind to leave
the shop?" she continued. "Miss Sarah has gone over to the enemy, and
Alex is going."

"I don't understand about that shop," said her grandfather, not for
the first time, by any means. "I told you about that young lady who
so kindly picked up my books,--a most intelligent person, and as
pretty as--as Madelaine." This with a smile at his youngest
granddaughter.

"Here is another conversion," laughed Madelaine.

"I can't understand about the shop," the judge repeated.

"Why isn't keeping a shop just as respectable as teaching or keeping
boarders?" asked Alex. She had in truth been strongly attracted to
Miss Pennington that evening at Miss Wilbur's, and had a secret desire
to see more of her.

* * * * *

Wayland Leigh brought the news of Mrs. Millard's proposed departure to
his two aunts. He had it from Madelaine Russell.

"I wish you could have such a trip, Sarah," said Mrs. Leigh. "It would
do you a world of good. As Aunt Nancy used to say, you are so thin you
have to stand up twice to cast a shadow."