“Den I stays. I don’t go no such way. No, ma’am, it’s too dangersome. I don’t keer what the preacher say. I doesn’t trus’ mah body near no hell gate.” Miss Rindy laughed. “You are a silly creature, Beulah; that’s only the name of what used to be a dangerous spot in the East River. It is perfectly safe. You’ll be on the train, and won’t know when you get there.” However it required a deal of explanation to convince Beulah, but finally she gave in, and later in the day was inspired to sing with great earnestness, “The gospel train are comin’; I hears it close to han’.” In the meantime Ellen had made known to her various friends that she was to be Mabel Wickham’s guest for the summer. “It will be perfectly lovely for you, but very sorrowful for me,” sighed Caro. However, she did not delay in spreading the news, specially delighting in giving the information to Florence Ives. “Ain’t it a shame she didn’t stay long enough for me to give her a tea?” said Florence. “Then she might have invited me, too. I suppose it’s to Bar Harbor they go. I wisht we could take a cottage there, but Papa says it’s too highbrow for him.” Caro did not enlighten her further, though later on Frank did, and when she learned the location of Mabel’s cottage her desire toward Maine was considerably lessened. “No wonder she was willing to invite Ellen to a stupid little place like that,” she scoffed. “I know I wouldn’t want to go, and I’m glad I’m not invited.” “You needn’t be afraid that you’d have a chance to turn down any invitation of Miss Wickham’s,” returned Frank scornfully. “She doesn’t run with girls of your type.” “Pff!” ejaculated Florence loftily. “I reckon I’m good enough to go wherever you go, and anyway it is a nice way you have of speaking of your sister.” “We may be _nouveau riche_, but I hope I’m neither a grafter nor a toady,” replied Frank, a remark which made no impression whatever upon Florence, but which in the future gave Frank some hours of indecision in his effort to stand up for his principles. Most of Ellen’s friends rejoiced with her, however, chief among them being Jeremy Todd and Dr. Rowe. “It will do you a world of good, both you and Rindy,” said the latter. “I couldn’t have recommended a better plan.” And so when the time came Ellen started off with a light heart. By this time Miss Rindy was able to get around with the use of only a cane, and was able to take her usual dominant place in the household. The neighbors promised to look after Wipers, and everything seemed to be in readiness the morning of the start. But where was Beulah? “Now isn’t that just like her?” exclaimed Miss Rindy, who had been fuming and fretting for the past hour. “I suppose she thinks the train will wait for her, she’s that important.” “There’s plenty of time yet,” Ellen tried to soothe her. “There may be, but one can never tell what delays may crop up. I’d rather be half an hour too early than one minute too late.”