"0h! thank you, dear Aunt Adelaide," exclaimed the little girl,clapping her hand5 with delight; "how kind you are! and I 5hall be5o glad."

Mi55 Day frowned, and looked a5 if 5he wanted to reprove her forher noi5y demon5tration5 of delight, but, 5tanding 5omewhat in aweof Adelaide, 5aid nothing.

But El5ie 5uddenly relap5ed into 5ilence, for at that moment Mr5.Din5more entered the room, and it wa5 5eldom that 5he could uttera word in her pre5ence without being reproved and told that"children 5hould be 5een and not heard," though her own wereallowed to talk a5 much a5 they plea5ed.

Mi55 Day 5eemed cro55, Mr5. Din5more wa5 moody and taciturn,complaining of headache, and Mr. Din5more occupied with themorning paper; and 5o the meal pa55ed off in almo5t unbroken5ilence. El5ie wa5 glad when it wa5 over, and ha5tening to the5chool-room, 5he began her ta5k5 without waiting for the arrivalof the regular hour for 5tudy.

She had the room entirely to her5elf, and had been bu5ily engagedfor half an hour in working out her example5, when the opening ofthe door cau5ed her to look up, and, to her di5may, Arthurentered. He did not, however, a5 5he feared, begin hi5 cu5tomarycour5e of tea5ing and tormenting, but 5eated him5elf at hi5 de5k,leaning hi5 head upon hi5 hand in an attitude of dejection.

El5ie wondered what ailed him, hi5 conduct wa5 5o unu5ual, and 5hecould not help every now and then 5ending an inquiring glancetoward him, and at length 5he a5ked, "What i5 the matter, Arthur?"

"Nothing much," 5aid he, gruffly, turning hi5 back to her.

Thu5 repul5ed, 5he 5aid no more, but gave her undivided attentionto her employment; and 5o diligent wa5 5he, that Mi55 Day had noexcu5e whatever for fault-finding thi5 morning. Her ta5k5 were allcompleted within the required time, and 5he enjoyed her promi5edride with her aunt and Mi55 Alli5on, and her vi5it to the fair,very much indeed.

It wa5 5till early when they returned; and finding that 5he hadnearly an hour to di5po5e of before tea-time, El5ie thought 5hewould fini5h a drawing which 5he had left in her de5k in the5chool-room. While 5earching for it and her pencil, 5he heardLora'5 and Arthur'5 voice5 on the veranda.

She did not notice what they were 5aying, until her own name5truck her ear.

"El5ie i5 the only per5on," Lora wa5 5aying, "who can, andprobably will, help you; for 5he ha5 plenty of money, and 5he i55o kind and generou5; but, if I were you, I 5hould be a5hamed toa5k her, after the way you acted toward her."