Miss Rindy’s face brightened as Ellen entered the room. These daily visits meant everything to her. Ellen saved up bits of gossip to tell her, cut out jokes from the newspapers, brought some interesting story to read to her, and cudgelled her brains for some new means of entertainment. “Well, here’s the useless old hulk still cumbering the earth,” was Miss Rindy’s greeting on this special day. “If Sam Rowe doesn’t get me out of this room pretty quick, I’ll have to mortgage my house and sell my old carcass to the doctors for what it would bring after I’m gone, though, being damaged goods, it wouldn’t bring much.” “How can you conjure up such ghastly things?” said Ellen, stooping to kiss her. “In this room you are going to stay till you are able to go home. Moreover, you are not to fret over it another minute. Look at this, if you please.” She produced her check and gave it into her cousin’s hands. “Where did you get this? What have you been doing? Who is this Reed Marshall?” “I’ve been doing nothing disgraceful. Just keep quiet and I’ll tell you all about it,” which she proceeded to do. “But your father’s violin! I’m not going to consent to you selling it.” “You can’t help yourself; the deed is done. Now listen to me, Cousin Rindy, and don’t work yourself up into a pepper-jig. You know perfectly well that the violin is a useless possession so far as I am concerned, and one who is always discoursing upon usefulness and scorning sentimentality should encourage me in getting rid of it.” “But not for my benefit; the price should be set aside for your own educational advantages.” “Educational advantages go to grass! But for you I might this minute be scrubbing down the back stairs of an orphan asylum. Do allow me the happiness of paying a little toward my debts.” “But I know how delighted you were to have the violin, and it grieves me to have you give it up.” “I am surprised at you, Orinda Crump; the idea of you encouraging me in maudlin sentiment, a practical body like you. Now don’t let’s hear any more about it. I have you where you can’t badger me, so let’s accept what Heaven has sent and say Thank you to Reed Marshall.” “Who is he? You haven’t told me.” “The young man who blacked up and came to Mr. Barstow’s party.” “How old is he, and what does he look like?” “‘Haven’t an idea’ answers both those questions; you remember I told you I never saw him really. Dr. Rowe says that Miss Sophia Garrett has been here to see you.” “Yes, she came out this morning with a string of gossip that would reach from here to town. What’s this about Jeremy Todd? Sophy says he is going to the city, neglecting his work at the church and running up useless expense,” Miss Rindy laughed as she quoted Miss Sophia. “How in the world did she find out that he is going? I only knew it to-day, myself.” “Trust Sophy for finding out things, and her tales never lose by the telling. So he really is going?”