The girl was so accustomed to despise herself and so suspicious of any creditable impulses that at times unexpectedly obtruded themselves, that she would have dismissed such a suggestion as arrant flattery, and Louise was clever enough not to wish to arouse her cousin to a full consciousness of her own possibilities.
The trained if not native indifference of this strange girl of fifteen was demonstrated by her reception of Uncle John's telegram.

She quietly handed it to her mother and said, as calmly as if it were an invitation to a church picnic: "I think I shall go." "Nothing like that ever happened to me," remarked Mrs.De Graf, enviously.

"If John Merrick had an atom of common sense he'd have taken me to Europe instead of a troop of stupid school girls.

But John always was a fool, and always will be.

When will you start, Beth ?" "To-morrow morning.