"Now I have told you everything, grandmother. Shall I go away? I wanted to

go to school; but I see that it costs a great deal of money, and I don't

want to be a burden on any one. I came here, not to ask you to take me in,

because I did not want to trouble you; but I thought before I went away I

ought to see you once because--because you are my grandmother."

"I've never been a grandmother," said the little woman of the world

reflectively, "but I don't know but it would be rather nice. I'd like to

make you into a pretty girl, and take you out into society. That would be

something new to live for. I'm not very pretty myself any more, but I can

see that you will be. Do you wear blue or pink? I used to wear pink

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myself, but I believe you could wear either when you get your complexion

in shape. You've tanned it horribly, but it may come out all right. I

think you'll take. You say you want to go to school. Why, certainly, I

suppose that will be necessary; living out in that barbarous, uncivilized

region, of course you don't know much. You seem to speak correctly, but

John always was particular about his speech. He had a tutor when he was

little who tripped him up every mistake he made. That was the only thing

that tutor was good for; he was a linguist. We found out afterwards he was

terribly wild, and drank. He did John more harm than good, Marie, I shall

want Elizabeth to have the rooms next mine. Ring for Martha to see that

everything is in order. Elizabeth, did you ever have your hands manicured?

You have a pretty-shaped hand. I'll have the woman attend to it when she

comes to shampoo your hair and put it up. Did you bring any clothes along?

Of course not. You couldn't on horseback. I suppose you had your trunk

sent by express. No trunk? No express? No railroad? How barbarous! How

John must have suffered, poor fellow! He, so used to every luxury! Well, I

don't see that it was my fault. I gave him everything he wanted except his

wife, and he took her without my leave. Poor fellow, poor fellow!"

Mrs. Bailey in due time sent Elizabeth off to the suite of rooms that she

said were to be hers exclusively, and arose to bedeck herself for another

day. Elizabeth was a new toy, and she anticipated playing with her. It

put new zest into a life that had grown monotonous.

Elizabeth, meanwhile, was surveying her quarters, and wondering what

Lizzie would think if she could see her. According to orders, the coachman

had taken Robin to the stable, and he was already rolling in all the

luxuries of a horse of the aristocracy, and congratulating himself on the

good taste of his mistress to select such a stopping-place. For his part

he was now satisfied not to move further. This was better than the

wilderness any day. Oats like these, and hay such as this, were not to be

found on the plains.




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