"Almost old enough to come out in society," said the lady. "You will have to hurry and finish your education--you mean to graduate, of course. When are you going back to school?" "I do not expect to go back at all," was the startling reply. "Not go back," said Mrs. Vance, affecting extreme astonishment. "Papa is so lonely now that Lily is gone," said Ada, choking back a sob, "that I have not the heart to leave him. I will stay with him and comfort him." "But, my dear--you so young, so unformed in your manners--surely you will not sacrifice yourself thus! Let me advise you to go back to college another year at least," urged Mrs. Vance. A little annoyed at her persistence, Ada sat up and looked across at her. "Mrs. Vance," said she, coldly, "do you happen to know that if I took your advice and returned to my boarding-school this house could no longer be a home for you?" "Why not?" asked the lady, a little fluttered. "Do you not see?" said Ada, pointedly. "You are not related to papa at all. You are a young and handsome woman. If you and he were living here alone together, with no one but the servants, people would couple your names unpleasantly. So you comprehend that it is better for me to stay and play propriety." "Ada, I do not believe you care whether I have a shelter over my head or not," said the widow, stung into anger by the pointed speech of the girl. "I should be sorry to see any one houseless," answered Ada, calmly; "but to own the truth, Mrs. Vance, I must say that I am sorry that the same roof has to shelter us both. I do not like you, and I am honest enough to tell you so!" "Because I am poor and you are rich," said Mrs. Vance, affecting to weep. "It is not that," said the young girl. "It is not that you are no relation to papa, except by marriage, and that you forced yourself here and claimed a support when you might have earned one for yourself, as many another widow has done. No, it is not for these things, Mrs. Vance, for I might still like you in spite of them, though I might pity your lack of true independence. But I dislike you because I believe you are a false, deceitful, unprincipled woman, scheming for some secret end of your own." "What have I ever done to you, Ada, that you should denounce me thus?" sobbed the widow. "Nothing--you would not dare to, for my papa would turn you out of the house if you did," replied the girl, spiritedly. "But do you think, Mrs. Vance, I cannot see your present drift? Do you think I do not see how shamelessly you are courting Lance Darling, and trying to win him from poor Lily who has been dead these four months scarcely?" "Perhaps you want him for yourself," Mrs. Vance was beginning to say sarcastically, when they were interrupted by a slight rap on the door. "Enter," called out Ada. It was a servant with a message for the widow. "There's an old woman out in the hall, Mrs. Vance, who says she has brought the samples of lace you desired."