ward health again.

It was some time before Wayland could pour out to her his repentance,
and then his aunt would not let him say half he wanted to say.

"Why, child," she exclaimed, patting the head bowed on the arm of her
chair, "you have done nothing to call forth all this. You have been
thoughtless, as most young persons are; but I suspect it is my fault.
I spoiled you. I did so want you to have what you wanted, always. I
suppose it is foolish, but it is the way we feel about the children we
bring up."

"You shall have that bond back, or one just as good, Aunt Sarah," he
assured her; and there was something in his face which showed he meant
it.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIFTH

THE PRICE OF A BOND

"Mr. Goodman, I want to understand about that bond Miss Pennington
sold for me. I have been reading the papers, and I don't see how it
could have brought a thousand dollars when they are only quoted at
eighty-something." Miss Sarah was still white and weak, but she spoke
with a touch of her old energy.

Ever since she had been able to think connectedly, the matter had
puzzled her. Norah, when appealed to, was innocence itself.

"I am sure he did not lose anything, Miss Sarah," she said. "I offered
it to him because I happened to know he had already bought some."

So now she had summoned Giant Despair himself, happening to see from
her window his clumsy figure coming up the street.

"I am glad to see you better, Miss Sarah," he said, appearing rather
ill at ease as he seated himself ponderously in a wicker chair.

"Goodness! I hope it won't give way with him," thought Miss Sarah;
then aloud she repeated her question, adding, "I have no confidence
whatever in Miss Pennington."

Giant Despair squinted at her with his best eye, as if to see just
what she meant.

"My own opinion," Miss Sarah continued, "has always been that she is a
witch; but even then I don't understand it."

Mr. Goodman smiled grimly and slapped his gloves across his knee.
"Probably you don't know much about the ways of witches," he remarked.

"I ought to know something. I can't imagine what I should have done
without Norah. Everybody was kind,--more than kind,--but she knew how
to take hold and manage things. I--" she hesitated a moment before she
added, "and we didn't want them in the neighborhood!"

"I guess you are right about the witch business," agreed the old man.

"But the bond," urged Miss Sarah.

"Well, there is nothing to be s