Rosamond's hands came down from her face, but she did not leave her seat; neither did Mr. Browning now wish to have her, for the light of the chandelier fell full upon her, giving him a much better view of her features than if she had been nearer to him. If, as Mrs. Peters had said, Ben Van Vechten was fond of pretty girls, he in a measure inherited the feeling from his uncle, who was an ardent admirer of the beautiful, and who now felt a glow of satisfaction in knowing that Rosamond Leyton was pretty. It was a merry, sparkling, little face which he looked upon, and though the nose did turn up a trifle, and the mouth was rather wide, the soft, brown eyes, and exquisitely fair complexion made ample amends for all. She was never intended for a menial--she would make a beautiful woman--and with thoughts similar to these, Mr. Browning, after completing his survey of her person, said-- "Have you been to school much?" "Always, until I came here," was her answer; and he continued--"And since then you have not looked in a book, I suppose?" The brown eyes opened wide as Rosamond replied,--"Why, yes I have. I've read over so much in your library when you were gone. Mrs. Peters told me I might," she added, hastily, as she saw his look of surprise, and mistook it for displeasure. "I am perfectly willing," he said; "but what have you read? Tell me." Rosamond was interested at once, and while her cheeks glowed and her eyes sparkled, she replied--"Oh, I've read Shakespeare's Historical Plays, every one of them--and Childe Harold, and Watts on the Mind, and Kenilworth, and now I'm right in the middle of the Lady of the Lake. Wasn't Fitz-James the King? _I_ believe he was. When I am older I mean to write a book just like that." Mr. Browning could not forbear a smile at her enthusiasm, but without answering her question, he said,--"What do you intend to do until you are old enough?" Rosamond's countenance fell, and after tapping her foot upon the carpet awhile, she said, "Mrs. Peters will get me a place by-and-by, and I s'pose I'll have to be a milliner." "Do you wish to be one?" "Why, no; nor mother didn't either, but after father died she had to do something. Father was a kind of a lawyer, and left her poor." "Do you wish to go away from here, Rosamond?" There were tears on the long-fringed eye-lashes as the young girl replied, "No, sir; I'd like to live here always, but there's nothing for me to do." "Unless you go to school. How would you like that?" "I have no one to pay the bills," and the curly head shook mournfully. "But I have money, Rosamond, and suppose I say that you shall stay here and go to school?" "Oh, sir, _will_ you say so? _May_ I live with you always?" and forgetting her fear of him in her great joy, Rosamond Leyton crossed over to where he sat, and laying both her hands upon his shoulder, continued--"Are you in earnest, Mr. Browning? May I stay? Oh, I'll be so good to you when you are old and sick!"