From this time Mahla Linck seemed to take a fresh start in arithmetic. Grace knew very well that as much as she helped Mahla, just so much she hindered herself. In everything but figures Mahla excelled. Her copy-book was a pattern of neatness; she could spell quite accurately; and as for geography, she was at home all over the world. But if left to herself, she was sure to spoil the whole by her dulness in arithmetic. Miss Allen was not possessed of "long patience," and dear little Mahla could make nothing of her scientific explanations. But Grace had a way of shedding light on that dismal book, which, though called _Ray's_ Arithmetic, was quite rayless to Mahla. So the poor child turned to her new friend with joyful eagerness. Grace did not falter; but she had one trial. Every night Captain Clifford said, smiling,-- "Well, daughter, how comes on the studying? Any nearer the prize?" And Grace had to answer, slowly, "O, pa, don't go to expecting I'll get it, please! Mahla's the one." When she had said this, her father would turn again to his newspaper, looking slightly disappointed. Then Grace felt a pang of regret; but it soon passed away, and never left a sting. CHAPTER V. FORTUNES. All the school-girls were talking just now about a wonderful woman, who had suddenly dropped down, perhaps out of the moon--a woman who could tell what had happened, and what would happen, as easily as she would wink. "Why," said the graduating class, talking two or three at once, "she can tell you when you were born, how your parents look, what's your given name, and all about your friends, whether they're light or dark complexion, and--" "Well, there," said Grace, contemptuously, "that's smart! Does anybody want to hear it all over again, when they knew it before? I'd like her to tell something new." "So she does," cried the girls, with breathless eagerness; "she can foretell things, and they do come to pass, too,--things that make your hair stand on end." "I wonder!" said timid Lucy Lane, shivering, and looking behind her. "O, fie! Lucy," said. Grace, patronizingly; "don't you be a bit afraid, dear; it's all a sham. I can foretell as well as Mrs. Gypsy. I'll foretell what we're going to have for dinner--a dog in a blanket." "There, now," laughed Diademia; "I've heard of eating roasted horses, but I didn't know it ever came to cats and dogs." Grace explained that a dog in a blanket was a roly-poly pudding. "But about this gypsy," continued Di; "anybody'd think, to hear you, Grace Clifford, that you supposed we believed in her." At this speech the girls all declared, by gestures and exclamations, that nothing could be more absurd than to suppose that they had any faith in such nonsense. What did they care about it? Only it was so queer! True, they knew of girls who had been to see this strange being,--young ladies who never told a lie in their lives,--and these young ladies all "deposed" and said that the gypsy was a perfect wonder!