"Oh, it wouldn't have troubled him any! He'd as lief come with you as not, I guess. If any one had come, it ought to have been Nellie; but I told her I had something to tell you, and she was very good about it. As for Miss Avery, I guess she didn't care much about going. You like Miss Avery pretty well, don't you?" "Oh, yes! Not as I like Nellie, you know. But Miss Avery has been-- very--" "Kind and condescending!" said Amos, as Fidelia paused for a word. They both laughed a little, but nothing more was said about Miss Avery. A good deal was said about things in general, but not a word which Nellie and all the rest of them might not have heard; and Fidelia began to think she had misunderstood the boy as to his having something to say to her. But when the horse had been securely fastened at a safe distance from the track, they turned to walk up and down the platform. During the few minutes that remained, Amos said,-- "I am going to tell father that I am going to college this fall or next, just as he thinks best." "Yes, of course," said Fidelia. "Well?" "That is all; and it isn't `of course' by a good deal. I had about made up my mind for something else. I was going West, to see how it looked out there, any way." "Not without your father's knowledge?" "No--I don't know as I should have gone with his knowledge and consent. But he'd have let me go, I guess, if I had kept at him, even if he had hated to." Fidelia shook her head. "That is not the kind of talk I should expect to hear from you, Amos, with such a father as you have." Amos hung his head, but said,--"Well, I've changed my mind. I am going to college, and I am going to do my best. Yes; it is partly to please father, and partly because I see things a little differently. Do you remember what you said to me that day on the hill?" "I am afraid I talked a good deal that day. I don't think I remember anything particular." "It was about the honour of having a part in the highest work of all, and about the duty of preparing one's self to do it in the best way. I am going to have a try for it, any way," said Amos, with a break in his voice. Fidelia put out her hand and touched his, but she did not speak for a full minute. She was thinking,--"A word of mine! That can't be-- discontented, worldly-minded girl that I have proved myself to be! I am not worthy." Aloud she said,--"I am glad, Amos. Tell me more." "It was only a word you said, but it set me thinking; though I don't see why it should, for mother, and cousin Abby, and even Nellie, have said about the same to me often. I suppose it was because it seemed new as you said it; and I had got kind of used to cousin Abby's good advice, and even to mother's. But I made up my mind that I would see the thing through this time, and decide one way or another. What Dr Justin said helped me some. I mean to try and be a good man--a servant of God," added the boy, speaking with difficulty.