"Didn't I always like him," Marion asked, with averted face and a laugh in her voice. "Oh, you used to think him stiff, and said you felt all shut up in his presence. Don't you remember our first call at his study?" "I think I do," Marion answered, bursting into a merry laugh. "Ever so many things have happened since then, little Flossy!" "Haven't there!" said innocent Flossy. "It has been such a wonderful year! dating from that day when it rained and you _made_ me go, do you remember, Marion? Do you ever get to wondering what would have been, if we had just stayed on here at home, going to our parties and getting up festivals, and all that, and paying no attention to the Chautauqua meetings?" "I don't want to think about any such horrid retrospect as that!" Marion said, with a shrug of her handsome shoulders, and a genuine shiver. Flossy laughed. "But you know it is only something to think of, to make us more grateful. It can never _be_, _never_. By the way, I suppose it is early to begin to make plans for the summer, at least for those who have no occasion to talk about summer yet;"--this last with a conscious little laugh--"But don't you mean to go to Chautauqua next summer? Mr. Roberts and I are going; we would rather give up a journey to Europe than that. Can't we all contrive to meet there together?" "Yes," said Marion, "we--_I_ mean to go." "Dr. Dennis is going," Flossy said, though why that had anything to do with the matter, or why it occurred to her just then, Flossy did not know. "He told Mr. Roberts that he meant to be there, and to take with him as many of his people as he could. And Eurie told me last night that his friend, Mr. Harrison, of the Fourth church was going. I don't know how Eurie heard that, through Nellis, I suppose. "Isn't Nellis splendid nowadays? I shouldn't wonder if quite a large company went from here. I wonder if Dr. Dennis will take his daughter Grace. I think she is just lovely, don't you?" "Very," said Marion; and just here Flossy roused to the fact that she was doing most of the talking, and that Marion's answers were often in monosyllables. "I dare say I am tiring you," she said, rising. "I forget that you have to talk all day in that school-room, Marion. Are you sure you love to teach well enough to keep at it, year after year?" "No," said Marion, laughing. "I know I don't; I don't mean to do it; I mean to get a situation as somebody's housekeeper." "Do you understand housekeeping?" asked innocent little Flossy, with wide open eyes. "Oh, Marion! are you sure it will be even as pleasant as school teaching?" "I think so," Marion answered with grave face. "At least, I mean to try. It depends on whose house you get into, you know." Flossy's sober face cleared in an instant. "So it does," she said. "Marion, I have a nice plan, but I shall not tell you a bit about it to-night. Good-bye."