"I intended to have him take Ida," said Aunt Maria. "That would have been the proper thing to do." "Well, Maria, I should think you might have found out by this time that everybody in the world isn't going to walk in the ways you mark out for them." "It would be better for them if they would," said Aunt Maria. "If I had had the bringing up of your children from the beginning, Nelly, and you had never interfered, I think you would have seen results that you never will see now. It seems mysterious that Providence shouldn't send children to those best fitted to bring them up. Well, you must do the best you can. What time is it? Dear me, it is almost dinner time and I have a new table girl to-day. I expect she'll have everything topsy-turvey. I'll call round to-morrow to see how things come on." CHAPTER XXXVI. WEALTH _versus_ LOVE. Eva Van Arsdel was seated in her apartment in all that tremulous flush of happiness and hope, that confusion of feeling, which a young girl experiences when she thinks that the great crisis of her life has been past, and her destiny happily decided. "Yes, yes," she said to herself, "I like him, I like him; and I am going to like him, no matter what mamma, or Aunt Maria, or all the world say. I'll stand by him through life and death." At this moment her mother came into the room. "Dear me! Eva, child, not gone to bed yet! Why, what's the matter? how flushed your cheeks are! Why, you look really feverish." "Do I?" said Eva, hardly knowing what she was saying. "Well, I suppose that is becoming, at any rate." "Aren't you well?" said her mother. "Does your head ache?" "Well? certainly, nicely; never better, mamma dear," said Eva, caressingly, coming and seating herself on her mother's knee, and putting her arm around her neck--"never better, mother." "Well, Eva, then I am glad of it. I just wanted a few minutes alone with you to-night. I have got something to tell you"--and she drew a letter from her pocket. "Here's this letter from Mr. Sydney; I want to read you something from it." "Oh dear mamma! what's the use? Don't you think it rather stupid, reading letters?" "My dear child, Mr. Sydney is such a _good_ man, and so devoted to you." "I haven't the least objection, mamma, to his being a good man. Long may he be so. But as to his being devoted to me, I am sorry for it." "At least, Eva, just read this letter--there's a dear; and I am sure you must see how like a gentleman he writes." Eva took the letter from her mother's hand, and ran it over hurriedly.