The doctor had become quite necessary to Maddy’s happiness. It was to him she confided all her little troubles, and to lose him would be a terrible loss; and so she answered that if it would be much better for him she supposed he ought to go, though she should miss him sadly and be very lonely without him. “Would you, Maddy? Are you in earnest? Would you be the lonelier for my being gone?” the doctor asked, eagerly. With her usual truthfulness, Maddy replied, “Of course I should;” and when, after the conference was ended, the doctor stood for a moment talking with Guy, ere bidding him good-night, he said, “I think I shall not accept your European proposition. Somebody else must cure Lucy.” The next day, as Guy had proposed, he rode down to Honedale, taking Maddy with him, and offering so many reasons why she should not be called home, that the old people began to relent, particularly as they saw how Maddy’s heart was set on the lessons Guy was going to give her. She might never have a like opportunity, the young man said, and as a good education would put her in the way of helping them when they were older and needed her more, it was their duty to leave her with him. He knew they objected to her receiving three dollars a week, but he should pay it just the same, and if they chose they might, with a part of it, hire a little girl to do the work which Maddy would do were she at home. All this sounded very well, especially as it was backed by Maddy’s eyes, full of tears, and fixed pleadingly upon her grandfather. The sight of them, more than Guy’s arguments, influenced the old man, who decided that if grandma were willing, Maddy should stay, unless absolutely needed at the cottage. Then the tears burst forth, and winding her arms around her grandfather’s neck, Maddy sobbed out her thanks, asking if it were selfish and wicked and naughty in her to prefer an education. “Not if that’s your only reason,” grandpa replied. “It’s right to want learning, quite right; but if my child is biased by the fine things at Aikenside, and hates to come back to her poor home, because ’tis poor, I should say it was very natural, but not exactly right.” Maddy was very happy after it was settled, and chatted gayly with her grandmother while Guy went out with her grandfather, who wished to speak with him alone.