"It is the duty of such little girls as Calista and Mary to do as they are bid by those who have the authority over them," said he. "It is especially the duty of Calista, because there may be considerable danger in her acting otherwise. So, if you please, we will consider that matter settled. Is there anything else you would like to ask me about?" "No, sir; only—please don't be hard on Aunt Priscilla. I am sure she is not quite in her right mind, and I 'am' dreadfully afraid of her, especially since what she did yesterday; but I could not injure her for the world." "Don't be alarmed, my dear; Miss Priscilla shall have every chance. Leave all that to me. I must take these papers away with me, but I will take great care of them. Good-bye. I suppose you and Mary have a great many hours of gossip to make up." And Mr. Settson departed, leaving the girls to themselves. Calista gave a little skip as she closed the door after him. "Oh, how glad I am!" said she. "I feel like a bird let out of a cage." "Well, I must say I rather wonder at you, Calista," said Mary, in a somewhat disapproving voice. "I should think you would be sorry for your poor aunt,— "'Deserted, at her utmost need By those her former bounty fed.'" For Mary had been reading poetry, and liked to quote it. Calista's face flushed. "I wonder who did the deserting," said she. "Miss Priscilla, who went away to stay all night and left me locked up alone without food or light, or myself, who got out and came away? As to her bounty, the less said the better." "But if you could do her good, I think you ought to sacrifice yourself and not choose a life of luxury with a worldly, fashionable woman like Mrs. Fabian. I must say I am disappointed in you." "And I am disappointed in you," said Calista, with some spirit. "I thought you had more sense. Don't you see that I must obey your father and Mr. Fabian, whom Providence has so plainly placed over me? As to calling Mrs. Fabian worldly, I don't know what you mean by that. She has been as kind as a mother to me, and I don't think it is just the thing to speak of her in that way in her own house. But come, don't let's quarrel. I want to hear all about your travels. Where did you go? And where did your father pick up this Mr. Williams?" "He found him quite by accident in a little town not far from New York, where we stopped over night," answered Mary, making a desperate grasp after her good humor, and partly recovering it. "We were in the stage together, and we got talking. He asked where we were from, and when papa told him, he said he once met a gentleman from our place under rather peculiar circumstances—General Stanfield. Of course that set papa asking questions, and he soon found out the whole story. So your dreams are fulfilled, Calista, and you will be able to do what you please with the old mansion."