A contemptuous “pshaw!” came from ’Lina’s lips, and then she proceeded to speak of Alice Johnson, asking for her family. Were they the F. F. V.’s of Boston? and so forth. To this Mrs. Worthington gave a decided affirmative; repeating to her daughter many things which Mrs. Johnson had herself told Alice in that sad interview when she lay on her sick bed with Alice sobbing near. So far as she was concerned, Alice Johnson was welcome to Spring Bank; but justice demanded that Hugh should be consulted ere an answer were returned. ’Lina, however, overruled her arguments as she always did, and with a sigh she yielded the point, hoping there would be some way by which Hugh might be appeased. “Now let us talk a little about the thousand dollars,” ’Lina said, for already the money was beginning to burn in her hands. “I’m going to Saratoga, and you are going, too. We’ll have heaps of dresses. We’ll take _Lu_, for a waiting-maid. That will be sure to make a sensation at the North. ‘Mrs. Worthington, daughter, and colored servant, Spring Bank, Kentucky.’ I can almost see that on the clerk’s books. Then I can manage to let it be known that I’m an heiress, as I am. We needn’t tell that it’s only a thousand dollars, most of which I have on my back, and maybe I’ll come home _Adaline_ somebody else. There are always splendid matches at Saratoga. We’ll go north the middle of July, just three weeks from now.” ’Lina had talked so fist that Mrs. Worthington had been unable to put in a word; but it did not matter. ’Lina was invulnerable to all she could say. She’d go to town that very day and make her purchases. Miss Allis, of course, must be consulted for some of her dresses, while _Adah_ could make the rest. With regard to Miss Alice, they would write to her at once, telling her she was welcome to Spring Bank, and also informing her of their intentions to come north immediately. She could join them at Saratoga, or, if she preferred, could remain at Snowdon until they returned home in the autumn. ’Lina’s decision with regard to their future movements had been made so rapidly and so determinedly, that Mrs. Worthington had scarcely ventured to expostulate, and the few remonstrances she did advance produced no impression. ’Lina wrote to Alice Johnson that morning, went to Frankfort that afternoon, to Versailles and Lexington the next day, and on the morning of the third, after the receipt of Mrs. Johnson’s letter, Spring Bank presented the appearance of one vast show-room, so full of silks, and muslins, and tissues, and flowers, and ribbons, and laces, while amidst it all, in a maze of perplexity as to what was required of her, or where first to commence, sat Adah, who had come at ’Lina’s bidding. Womanlike, the sight of ’Lina’s dresses awoke in Adah a thrill of delight, and she entered heartily into the matter without a single feeling of envy. “I’s goin’, too. Did you know that?” Lulu said to her, as she sat bending over a cloud of lace and soft blue silk.