"You must sit down, mother," said Miss Macks, bringing forward an easy-chair. "She has not been so well as usual, lately," she said, explanatorily, to Noel, as she stood for a moment beside her mother's chair. "It's this queer Eye-talian air," said Mrs. Spurr. "You see I ain't used to it. Not but what I ain't glad to be here on Ettie's account--real glad. It's just what she needs and oughter have." The girl put her hand on her mother's shoulder with a little caressing touch. Then she left the room. "Yes, I do feel beholden to you, Mr. No-ul. But, then, she'll be a credit to you, to whatever you've done for her," said Mrs. Spurr, when they were left alone. "Her talunts are very remarkable. She was the head scholar of the Young Ladies' Seminary through four whole years, and all the teachers took a lot of pride in her. And then her paintings, too! I'm sorry you're going off so soon. You see, she sorter depends upon your opinion." Noel felt a little stir at the edges of his conscience; he knew perfectly that his opinion was that Miss Macks, as an artist, would never do anything worth the materials she used. "I leave her in good hands," he said. After all, it was Jackson's responsibility, not his. "Yes, Mr. Jackson thinks a deal of her. I can see that plain!" answered Mrs. Spurr, proudly. Here the daughter returned, bringing a little note-book and pencil. "Do you know what these are for?" she said. "I want you to write down a list of the best books for me to read this summer, while you are gone. I am going to work hard; but if I have books, too, the time won't seem so long." Noel considered a moment. In one way her affairs were certainly none of his business; in another way they were, because she had thrust them upon him. "I will not give you a list, Miss Macks; probably you would not be able to find the books here. But I will send you, from Paris or London, some things that are rather good, if you will permit me to do so." She said he was very kind. Her face brightened. "If she has appreciation enough to comprehend what I send her," he thought, "perhaps in the end she will have a different opinion about my 'kindness'!" Soon afterwards he took leave. The next day he went to Paris. II