XXVIII. DISCOVERIES XXIX. PERPLEXITIES XXX. DOWN HILL XXXI. DISCUSSIONS XXXII. END OF SCHOOL TERM THE LETTER OF CREDIT. CHAPTER I. THE LETTER. "Mother, I wonder how people do, when they are going to write a book?" "Do?" repeated her mother. "Yes. I wonder how they begin." "I suppose they have something to tell; and then they tell it," said simple Mrs. Carpenter. "No, no, but I mean a story." "What story have you got there?" The mother was shelling peas; the daughter, a girl of twelve years old perhaps, was sitting on the floor at her feet, with an octavo volume in her lap. The floor was clean enough to sit upon; clean enough almost to eat off; it was the floor of the kitchen of a country farmhouse. "This is the 'Talisman,'" the girl answered her mother's question. "O mother, when I am old enough, I should like to write stories!" "Why?" "I should think it would be so nice. Why, mother, one could imagine oneself anything." "Could you?" said her mother. "I never imagined myself anything but what I was." "Ah, but perhaps you and I are different." Which was undoubtedly the fact, as any stander by might have seen with half an eye. Good types both of them, too. The mother fair, delicate featured, with sweet womanly eyes, must have been exceedingly pretty in her young days; she was pretty now; but the face shewed traces of care and was worn with life-work. While she talked and now and then looked at her daughter, her fingers were untiringly busy with the peas and peas pods and never paused for a minute. The girl on the floor did not look like her mother. She was dark eyed and dark haired; with a dark complexion too, which at present was not fine; and the eyes, large and handsome eyes, revealed a fire and intensity and mobility of nature which was very diverse from the woman's gentle strength. Mrs. Carpenter might be intense too, after her fashion; but it was the fashion of the proverbial still waters that run deep. And I do not mean that there was any shallowness about the girl's nature; though assuredly the placidity would be wanting. "I wish your father would forbid you to read stories," Mrs. Carpenter went on. "Why, mother?" "I don't believe they are good for you." "But what harm should they do me?" "Life is not a story. I don't want you to think it is." "Why shouldn't it be? Perhaps my life will be a story, mother. I think it will," said the girl slowly. "I shouldn't want my life to be always like this." "Are you not happy?" "O yes, mother! But then, by and by, I should like to be a princess, or to have adventures, and see things; like the people in stories." "You will never be a princess, my child. You are a poor farmer's daughter. You had better make up your mind to it, and try to be the best thing you can in the circumstances."