Hardening, indeed! that poor slender, tender, shrinking little Ettie! A frail exotic.

She would harden her into a skeleton if she had her way.

Nothing's much harder than a skeleton, I suppose, except Mrs.Le Geyt's manner of training one." "I should be sorry to think," I broke in, "that that sweet little floating thistle-down of a child I once knew was to be done to death by her." "Oh, as for that, she will NOT be done to death," Hilda answered, in her confident way.

"Mrs.Le Geyt won't live long enough." I started.

"You think not ?" "I don't think, I am sure of it.