warmly welcomed by both, and urged to eat as much as would have sufficed her for all day; but it was their measure of hospitality, and she knew and was grateful for it.

Mrs. Packard was a woman inquisitive by nature, and never taught to repress that unpleasant trait; she plunged at once into a series of questions, and was surprised to hear of Happy's plans.

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Well, I declare!" she said; "I should think you'd a sight rather go into a shop, or a store, or take in sewin'. I don't mean to cast ye down, but livin' out does seem a mean business for you, Happy."

Here was the other side confronting her. Happy did not feel strong to argue; she could not convincingly put herself down when that self sided with Mrs. Packard.

"I am not a bit healthy and strong, you know, Mrs. Packard. I must do what I can."

you've got, if you

"That's so!" said Mr. Packard, who had hitherto been very silent. "You've got to use the boards ha'n't got them you'd oughter hev. I've done j'iner work enough for that; and folks has got to make the best o' what they be a'ready. I wish you good luck, Happy; and I want you should remember that as long as she and me are round, you can allers come here and stay here jest as long as you're a mind to." He did not wait to

hear Happy's thanks, but pushed his chair aside and went quickly out of the door. Little Gay's fair face rose up distinctly before him and choked his speech; he had never forgotten her.

"Well! he means it," put in his wife, "an' so do I, Happilony. Luman's a heap changed since Gay died; and I know I'd ought to be a better woman. I must try for't, that's a fact. He don't drink a mite now; and goes to Methodist meetin' reg'lar."

“Oh, I'm so glad!" exclaimed Happy.

"Well, I b'lieve you be. I b'lieve in your ma's kind of religion and your'n too. If I can get that kind, I'm bound to have it."

"There isn't but one kind," said Happy, smiling. "Mother's was the only right kind, Mrs. Packard. I mean to try to be like her, too; for she tried to be like Christ."

"I expect she did, Happy. She's been the best friend me and Luman ever had. If she hadn't ha' lent him that hundred an' fifty dollars last spring, I dono where we'd hev ben now."

“What?” said Happy, surprised.

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Why, we owed that to Squire Jakeway over to the store, and we owed it more'n three year; and he got real obstopolous one day, and your ma heered him talkin' smart to Luman, for he'd come here to take him to do about that bill; so she stepped in when he was gone, and offered to help us, and let

us have the money right off. But she wouldn't take no note nor nothin', but she ses: 'I know you will pay me when you get ready, Mr. Packard, I can trust you: the money will be Happy's before long, and we don't want int'rest, we're both intrested enough in you a'ready,' and then she kinder laughed, and Luman he choked right up, but he kinder sputtered out an' said he'd pay if he lived, every cent on't, int'rest and all. And so he will, Happy; he's got twenty dollars a'ready in the Savin's bank, in your name, so'st he can't never draw it out himself. Mercy on me! don't you cry like that, child!" for Happy's tears fell fast. "I thought you knowed all about it. And, moreover, I was goin' to say, if you want to keep up with that little Sunday class o' yourn, why you can have 'em in our kitchen every time. It'll do us a heap o' good to have ye; and maybe you'll stop to tea now and then, and see how we're gettin' along."

Happy thanked her with all her heart, and went off early to church in order to stop and tell Miss Lavinia she should not need to trouble her with the children, and also about her mother's goodness to the Packards.

"Jest like her!" exclaimed Aunt Vinny. "She was the scripturalest woman I ever see; she didn't let her right hand-that's you, Happy-know what her left hand was a doin' never. And that

tells what puzzled me a lot; Almiry told me she'd got five hundred dollars in the Savin's bank, and there wa'nt but three hundred an' fifty, you know, when we found the book. I expect she forgot, when she was a talking to me, how she'd lent that to Packard. She never did think nothin' o' what she done herself, but everything o' what other folks done for her. Well! it takes poor folks to help poor folks, arter all!"

CHAPTER XVI.

MONDAY morning, after her work was done, Happy went round to Mrs. Payson's, and was welcomed warmly. "I think I have got just the right place for you, Happy," said Mrs. Payson; "right, that is, as to work and wages: whether it will be altogether pleasant, time must prove. Mrs. Holden wants a young girl to wait on her, and do some light sewing; mend Ruth's clothes, and make some of them; and do any little thing she may want done. Rather desultory sort of work, but not likely to prove hard, and she offers twelve dollars a month."

Happy stood silent; was it pleasure or pain that stayed her speech at the thought of living under the same roof with Ruth Holden in a servant's capacity? She could not tell herself. Would Ruth like to have her there in such a position? Could she stoop from her dainty, delicate pride to care for Happy? These thoughts flashed across the poor girl's mind with a sudden thrill. Ruth had been the idol of her imagination, and to be lowered in her eyes seemed