"Do you go to school, my little man?" asked the visitor, unbending slightly in the stiffness of her manner. "Ain't your man! don't like dwy bwead, 'cept when I'se vewy hungwy." "Neither do I," chimed in Cyril. "And we don't go to school. Papa says we're not big enough." "Don! Cyril! my little boys must not be rude," reproved the mamma. "Run away now to your plays." "They're pretty children," remarked the caller as the twain disappeared. "Very frank in the expression of their sentiments and wishes," the mother responded smiling. "Extremely so, I should say;" added Mildred dryly. "Is it not a mother's duty to curb and restrain?" queried the visitor, fixing her cold blue eyes upon Mrs. Keith's face. "Certainly; where she deems it needful." Mrs. Keith's tones were perfectly sweet-tempered; Mildred's not quite so, as she added with emphasis, "And no one so capable of judging when it is needful as my mother." "Quite natural and proper sentiments for her daughter, no doubt. How do you like Pleasant Plains?" The question was addressed more particularly to Miss Stanhope, and it was she who replied. "We are quite disposed to like the place Miss Stalebread; the streets are widely pleasant and would be quite beautiful if the forest trees had been left." "My name is _Dry_bread! a good honest name; if not quite so aristocratic and fine sounding as Keith." "Excuse me!" said Miss Stanhope. "I have an unfortunate kind of memory for names and had no intention of miscalling yours." "Oh! then it's all right. "Mrs. Keith, I'm a teacher; take young boys and girls of all ages. Perhaps you might feel like entrusting me with some of yours. I see you have quite a flock." "I will take it into consideration," Mrs. Keith answered; "What branches do you teach?" "Reading, writing, arithmetic, geography and English grammar." "I've heard of teachers boarding round," remarked Mildred, assailed by a secret apprehension; "is that the way you do?" "No; I live at home, at my father's." Miss Drybread was scarcely out of earshot when Ada burst out vehemently. "I don't want to be distrusted to her! she doesn't look distrusty, does she, Zillah? Mother please don't consider it!" "But just say yes at once?" asked mother playfully, pressing a kiss upon the little flushed, anxious face. "Oh no, no, no! please, mamma dear;" cried the child returning the caress and putting her arms lovingly about her mother's neck. "You didn't like her, did you?" Mrs. Keith acknowledged laughingly that she had not been very favorably impressed, and Zillah joining in Ada's entreaties, presently promised that she would try to hear their lessons at home. A decision which was received with delight and a profusion of thanks and caresses. Mildred was glad to find herself alone with her mother that evening for a short time, after the younger ones were in bed; for she had a plan to unfold.