not to be painted herself. Do ask him to rub it out, my lady!"

"Why, Grace, we were all just wishing to have a likeness of you. Every
one has their picture taken for a remembrance."

"The saints and martyrs never had theirs, as far as I ever heard, and
yet they are not forgotten yet. I know it is the way of great people
like you. I saw your picture once, in a book Miss Heale had; and did not
wonder, when I saw it, that people wished to remember such a face as
yours: and since I have seen you, I wonder still less."

"My picture? where?"

"In a book--'The Book of Beauty,' I believe they called it."

"My dear Grace," said Valencia, laughing and blushing, "if you ever
looked in your glass, you must know that you are quite as worthy of a
place in 'The Book of Beauty' as I am."

Grace shook her head with a serious smile. "Every one in their place,
madam. I cannot help knowing that God has given me a gift: but why, I
cannot tell. Certainly not for the same purpose as He gave it to you
for,--a simple country girl like me. If He have any use for it, He will
use it, as He does all His creatures, without my help. At all events it
will not last long; a few years more, perhaps a few months, and it will
be food for worms; and then people will care as little about my looks as
I care now. I wish, my lady, you would stop the gentleman!"

"Mr. Mellot, draw the children something simpler, please;--a dog or a
cat." And she gave Claude a look which he obeyed.

Valencia felt in a more solemn mood than usual as she walked home that
day.

"Well," said Claude, "I have here every line and shade, and she cannot
escape me. I'll go on board and paint her right off from memory, while
it is fresh. Why, here come Scoutbush and the Major."

"Miss Harvey," said Scoutbush, trying, as he said to Campbell, "to look
as grand as a sheep-dog among a pack of fox-hounds, and very thankful
all the while he had no tail to be bitten off"--"Miss Harvey, I--we--
have heard a great deal in praise of your school; and so I thought I
should like to come and see it."

"Would your lordship like to examine the children?" says Grace,
curtseying to the ground.

"No--thanks--that is--I have no doubt you teach them all that's right,
and we are exceedingly gratified with the way in which you conduct the
school.--I say Val," cried Scoutbush, who could support the part of
patron no longer, "what pretty little ducks they are, I wish I had a
dozen of them! Come you h