"No: Sabina said she was lying down, and I would not have her disturbed. I came partly to tell you a little news. Amy is engaged to Mr. Robert Truesdaile. They will be married in the fall, and go out to England. He has relatives there; his mother's family. There is an uncle living near Manchester; a large cotton manufacturer; he would like to take his nephew into the business; he has a great desire to get him there and make an Englishman of him." "Does Amy like it? I mean, going to England? I am ever so glad for her being so happy." "Yes, she likes it. At any rate she likes, as we all do, the new pleasant beginnings. We are all made to like fresh corners to turn, unless they seem very dark ones, or unless we have grown very old and tired, which _I_ think there is never any need of doing." "How busy she will be!" was Sylvie's next remark, made after a pause in which she realized to herself the news, and received also a little suggestion from it. "Yes, pretty busy. But such preparations are made easily in these days." "Won't there be ever so many little things of that sort to be done?" asked Sylvie, signifying the parcel which Miss Kirkbright held lightly in her fingers. "I wish I could do some of them. I mean,"--she gathered herself up bravely to say,--"I should like dearly to do _anything_ for Amy; but I have thought it would be a good plan--if I could--to do something like that for the sake of earning; as Dot Ingraham does." "Do you not have quite enough money, my dear?" asked Miss Kirkbright, in her kindly direct way that could never hurt. "Not quite. At least, it don't seem to go very far. There are always things that we didn't expect. And things count up so at the grocer's. And a little nice meat every day,--which we _have_ to have,--turns out so very expensive. And Sabina's wages--and mother's wine--and cream--and fresh eggs,--I get so worried when the bills come in!" Sylvie's voice trembled with the effort and excitement of telling her money and housekeeping troubles. "Sometimes I think we ought to have a cheaper girl; but I have just as much as I can do,--of those kinds of work,--and a poor girl would waste everything if I left her to go on. And I don't know much, myself. If Sabina were to go,--and she will next spring,--I am afraid it would turn out that we should have to keep two."