Each little one came to claim a good-night kiss from father and Aunt Wealthy, then cheerfully followed their mother up the steep crooked stairway to the large room above. "Oh, how much nicer it looks!" they cried "Auntie's room too," running to the open door and peeping in. Everything was now clean and neat, carpets covered the rough boards of the floor, curtains draped the windows and divided the large room into several apartments, in each of which was a neat, white bed. But little of their heavy furniture had been brought with them from the old home, but its place was partially supplied by turning packing boxes into chintz-covered and cushioned lounges, and toilet tables, whose unsightliness was concealed by dainty drapery. Ingenuity and taste had done wonders in making the house comfortable and attractive at small expense. [Illustration] [Illustration] Chapter Ninth. "'Tis necessity, To which the gods must yield." THE children had said their prayers, tired little heads were laid on soft white pillows, weary young limbs stretched out to rest, and leaving a kiss on each rosy mouth, the mother went down stairs to rejoin her husband and aunt in the sitting-room. She found Mrs. Prior with them; the good woman had "just run in" to tell them of a girl in want of a place. "I don't know anything about her," she went on, "except, that she's a right decent looking girl and wants to work out a spell; and that they tell me the family's English; respectable but poor. "If you would wish to give her a trial; Mis' Keith, I've an opportunity to send her word this evening and as like as not she'd get a chance to come in with some of the country folks to-morrow." Mrs. Keith gladly gave consent, feeling at the moment as if almost any sort of help would be better than none; then asked, "Is there any school in town that you could recommend for my little girls, Mrs. Prior?" "Well, I don't know of but one and I've my doubts about that bein' such as you'd want to send to. Damaris Drybread's the teacher, and I shouldn't judge by her talk that she'd had a finished education;--not by no means! still she may do well enough for little ones. I haven't any, you know, so I haven't tried her." "Suppose we have a light," suggested Mr. Keith, "it's growing too dark for us to see each other's faces." Mildred rose, went to the kitchen, and presently returned with a lighted candle and a pair of snuffers, which she placed on the table. Miss Stanhope was asking what sort of society was to be found in the place, to which Mrs. Prior made answer, "Well, ma'am, we have pretty much all sorts; and yet don't divide up in circles like they do in a good many places. I s'pose there'll be more of that as the town grows larger. "There's educated folks that's fond o' books and the like, and know what manners is, and how to talk well, and there's others that's rough and ignorant, yet mostly well meaning with it all--real honest and industrious.