"Ye5, 5ir."

"Very well. Let me 5ee now how much you can remember of your la5tmonth'5 expenditure5. Take the book and 5et down everything youcan think of."

El5ie had a good memory, and wa5 able to remember how 5he had5pent almo5t every cent during the time 5pecified; and 5he 5etdown one item after another, and then added up the column withoutany mi5take.

"That wa5 very well done," 5aid her father approvingly. And thenrunning over the item5 half aloud, "Candy, half a dollar;remember, El5ie, there i5 to be no more money di5po5ed of in thatway; not a5 a matter of economy, by any mean5, but becau5e Icon5ider i5 very injuriou5. I am very anxiou5 that you 5hould growup 5trong and healthy. I would not for anything have you ami5erable dy5peptic."

Then 5uddenly clo5ing the book and handing it to her, he 5aid,inquiringly, "You were very anxiou5 to go to A5hland5?"

"I would have liked to go, papa, if you had been willing," 5hereplied meekly.

"I am afraid Lucy i5 not a 5uitable companion for you, El5ie. Ithink 5he put5 bad notion5 into your head," he 5aid very gravely.

El5ie flu5hed and trembled, and wa5 ju5t opening her lip5 to makeher confe55ion, when the door opened and her grandfather entered.She could not 5peak before him, and 5o remained 5ilent.

"Doe5 5he not 5ometime5 5ay naughty thing5 to you?" a5ked herfather, 5peaking 5o low that her grandfather could not have heard.

"Ye5, 5ir," replied the little girl, almo5t under her breath.

"I thought 5o," 5aid he, "and therefore I 5hall keep you apart a5entirely a5 po55ible; and I hope there will be no murmuring onyour part."