with　me　a　little　longer　（it　will　not　be　long）；　but　let　me　stay。　　I
  may　not　see　her；　I　know；　I　shall　not　speak　to　her：　but　it's　so
  sweet　to　feel　that　I　am　at　last　near　her；　that　I　breathe　the　same
  air　with　my　darling。　　I　am　better　already；　Jack；　I　am　indeed。　　And
  you　have　seen　her　today？　　How　did　she　look？　　What　did　she　say？
  Tell　me　all；　everything；　Jack。　　Was　she　beautiful？　　They　say　she
  is。　　Has　she　grown？　　Would　you　have　known　her　again？　　Will　she
  come；　Jack？　　Perhaps　she　has　been　here　already；　perhaps〃she　had
  risen　with　tremulous　excitement；　and　was　glancing　at　the　door
  〃perhaps　she　is　here　now。　　Why　don't　you　speak；　Jack？　　Tell　me
  all。〃
  The　keen　eyes　that　looked　down　into　hers　were　glistening　with　an
  infinite　tenderness　that　none；　perhaps；　but　she　would　have　deemed
  them　capable　of。　　〃Clara；〃　he　said　gently　and　cheerily；　〃try　and
  compose　yourself。　　You　are　trembling　now　with　the　fatigue　and
  excitement　of　your　journey。　　I　have　seen　Carry；　she　is　well　and
  beautiful。　　Let　that　suffice　you　now。〃
  His　gentle　firmness　composed　and　calmed　her　now；　as　it　had　often
  done　before。　　Stroking　her　thin　hand；　he　said；　after　a　pause；　〃Did
  Carry　ever　write　to　you？〃
  〃Twice；　thanking　me　for　some　presents。　　They　were　only　schoolgirl
  letters；〃　she　added；　nervously　answering　the　interrogation　of　his
  eyes。
  〃Did　she　ever　know　of　your　own　troubles？　of　your　poverty；　of　the
  sacrifices　you　made　to　pay　her　bills；　of　your　pawning　your　clothes
  and　jewels；　of　your〃
  〃No；　no！〃　interrupted　the　woman　quickly：　〃no！　How　could　she？　　I
  have　no　enemy　cruel　enough　to　tell　her　that。〃
  〃But　if　sheor　if　Mrs。　Tretherickhad　heard　of　it？　　If　Carry
  thought　you　were　poor；　and　unable　to　support　her　properly；　it　might
  influence　her　decision。　　Young　girls　are　fond　of　the　position　that
  wealth　can　give。　　She　may　have　rich　friends；　maybe　a　lover。〃
  Mrs。　Starbottle　winced　at　the　last　sentence。　　〃But；〃　she　said
  eagerly；　grasping　Jack's　hand；　〃when　you　found　me　sick　and　helpless
  at　Sacramento；　when　youGod　bless　you　for　it；　Jack！offered　to
  help　me　to　the　East；　you　said　you　knew　of　something；　you　had　some
  plan；　that　would　make　me　and　Carry　independent。〃
  〃Yes；〃　said　Jack　hastily；　〃but　I　want　you　to　get　strong　and　well
  first。　　And；　now　that　you　are　calmer；　you　shall　listen　to　my　visit
  to　the　school。〃
  It　was　then　that　Mr。　Jack　Prince　proceeded　to　describe　the
  interview　already　recorded；　with　a　singular　felicity　and　discretion
  that　shames　my　own　account　of　that　proceeding。　　Without　suppressing
  a　single　fact；　without　omitting　a　word　or　detail；　he　yet　managed　to
  throw　a　poetic　veil　over　that　prosaic　episode；　to　invest　the
  heroine　with　a　romantic　roseate　atmosphere；　which；　though　not
  perhaps　entirely　imaginary；　still；　I　fear；　exhibited　that　genius
  which　ten　years　ago　had　made　the　columns　of　THE　FIDDLETOWN
  AVALANCHE　at　once　fascinating　and　instructive。　　It　was　not　until　he
  saw　the　heightening　color；　and　heard　the　quick　breathing；　of　his
  eager　listener；　that　he　felt　a　pang　of　self…reproach。　　〃God　help
  her　and　forgive　me！〃　he　muttered　between　his　clinched　teeth；　〃but
  how　can　I　tell　her　ALL　now！〃
  That　night；　when　Mrs。　Starbottle　laid　her　weary　head　upon　her
  pillow；　she　tried　to　picture　to　herself　Carry　at　the　same　moment
  sleeping　peacefully　in　the　great　schoolhouse　on　the　hill；　and　it
  was　a　rare　comfort　to　this　yearning；　foolish　woman　to　know　that　she
  was　so　near。　　But　at　this　moment　Carry　was　sitting　on　the　edge　of
  her　bed；　half…undressed；　pouting　her　pretty　lips　and　twisting　her
  long；　leonine　locks　between　her　fingers　as　Miss　Kate　Van　Corlear
  dramatically　wrapped　in　a　long　white　counterpane；　her　black　eyes
  sparkling；　and　her　thoroughbred　nose　thrown　high　in　airstood　over
  her　like　a　wrathful　and　indignant　ghost；　for　Carry　had　that　evening
  imparted　her　woes　and　her　history　to　Miss　Kate；　and　that　young　lady
  had　〃proved　herself　no　friend〃　by　falling　into　a　state　of　fiery
  indignation　over　Carry's　〃ingratitude；〃　and　openly　and　shamelessly
  espousing　the　claims　of　Mrs。　Starbottle。　　〃Why；　if　the　half　you
  tell　me　is　true；　your　mother　and　those　Robinsons　are　making　of　you
  not　only　a　little　coward；　but　a　little　snob；　miss。　　Respectability；
  forsooth！　　Look　you；　my　family　are　centuries　before　the
  Trethericks；　but　if　my　family　had　ever　treated　me　in　this　way；　and
  then　asked　me　to　turn　my　back　on　my　best　friend；　I'd　whistle　them
  down　the　wind；〃　and　here　Kate　snapped　her　fingers；　bent　her　black
  brows；　and　glared　around　the　room　as　if　in　search　of　a　recreant　Van
  Corlear。
  〃You　just　talk　this　way　because　you　have　taken　a　fancy　to　that　Mr。
  Prince；〃　said　Carry。
  In　the　debasing　slang　of　the　period；　that　had　even　found　its　way
  into　the　virgin　cloisters　of　the　Crammer　Institute；　Miss　Kate；　as
  she　afterward　expressed　it；　instantly　〃went　for　her。〃
  First；　with　a　shake　of　her　head；　she　threw　her　long　black　hair　over
  one　shoulder；　then；　dropping　one　end　of　the　counterpane　from　the
  other　like　a　vestal　tunic；　she　stepped　before　Carry　with　a
  purposely　exaggerated　classic　stride。　　〃And　what　if　I　have；　miss！
  What　if　I　happen　to　know　a　gentleman　when　I　see　him！　　What　if　I
  happen　to　know　that　among　a　thousand　such　traditional；
  conventional；　feeble　editions　of　their　grandfathers　as　Mr。　Harry
  Robinson；　you　cannot　find　one　original；　independent；　individualized
  gentleman　like　your　Prince！　　Go　to　bed；　miss；　and　pray　to　Heaven
  that　he　may　be　YOUR　Prince　indeed。　　Ask　to　have　a　contrite　and
  grateful　heart；　and　thank　the　Lord　in　particular　for　having　sent
  you　such　a　friend　as　Kate　Van　Corlear。〃　　Yet；　after　an　imposing
  dramatic　exit；　she　reappeared　the　next　moment　as　a　straight　white
  flash；　kissed　Carry　between　the　brows；　and　was　gone。
  The　next　day　was　a　weary　one　to　Jack　Prince。　　He　was　convinced　in
  his　mind　that　Carry　would　not　come；　yet　to　keep　this　consciousness
  from　Mrs。　Starbottle；　to　meet　her　simple　hopefulness　with　an　equal
  degree　of　apparent　faith；　was　a　hard　and　difficult　task。　　He　would
  have　tried　to　divert　her　mind　by　taking　her　on　a　long　drive；　but
  she　was　fearful　that　Carry　might　come　during　her　absence；　and　her
  strength；　he　was　obliged　to　admit；　had　failed　greatly。　　As　he
  looked　into　her　large　and　awe…inspiring　clear　eyes；　a　something　he
  tried　to　keep　from　his　mindto　put　off　day　by　day　from
  contemplationkept　asserting　itself　directly　to　his　inner
  consciousness。　　He　began　to　doubt　the　expediency　and　wisdom　of　his
  management。　　He　recalled　every　incident　of　his　interview　with
  Carry；　and　half…believed　that　its　failure　was　due　to　himself。　　Yet
  Mrs。　Starbottle　was　very　patient　and　confident；　her　very　confidence
  shook　his　faith　in　his　own　judgment。　　When　her　strength　was　equal
  to　the　exertion；　she　was　propped　up　in　her　chair　by　the　window；
  where　she　could　see　the　school　and　the　entrance　to　the　hotel。　　In
  the　intervals　she　would　elaborate　pleasant　plans　for　the　future；
  and　would　sketch　a　country　home。　　She　had　taken　a　strange　fancy；　as
  it　seemed　to　Prince；　to　the　present　location；　but　it　was　notable
  that　the　future；　always　thus　outlined；　was　one　of　quiet　and　repose。
  She　believed　she　would　get　well　soon；　in　fact；　she　thought　she　was
  now　much　better　than　she　had　been；　but　it　might　be　long　before　she
  should　be　quite　strong　again。　　She　would　whisper　on　in　this　way
  until　Jack　would　dash　madly　down　into　the　barroom；　order　liquors
  that　he　did　not　drink；　light　cigars　that　he　did　not　smoke；　talk
  with　men　that　he　did　not　listen　to；　and　behave　generally　as　our
  stronger　sex　is　apt　to　do　in　periods　of　delicate　trials　and
  perplexity。
  The　day　closed　with　a　clouded　sky　and　a　bitter；　searching　wind。
  With　the　night　fell　a　few　wandering　flakes　of　snow。　　She　was　still
  content　and　hopeful；　and；　as　Jack　wheeled　her　from　the　window　to
  the　fire；　she　explained　to　him　how　that；　as　the　school　term　was
  drawing　near　its　close；　Carry　was　probably　kept　closely　at　her
  lessons　during　the　day；　and　could　only　leave　the　school　at　night。
  So　she　sat　up　the　greater　part　of　the　evening；　and　combed　her
  silken　hair；　and　as　far　as　her　strength　would　allow；　made　an
  undress　toilet　to　receive　her　guest。　　〃We　must　not　frighten　the
  child；　Jack；〃　she　said　apologetically；　and　with　something　of　her
  old　coquetry。
  It　was　with　a　feeling　of　relief　that；　at　ten　o'clock；　Jack　received
  a　message　from　the　landlord；　saying　that　the　doctor　would　like　to
  see　him　for　a　moment　downstairs。　　As　Jack　entered　the　grim；　dimly
  lighted　parlor；　he　observed　the　hooded　figure　of　a　woman　near　the
  fire。　　He　was　about　to　withdraw　again　when　a　voice　that　he
  remembered　very　pleasantly　said：
  〃Oh；　it's　all　right！　　I'm　the　doctor。〃
  The　hood　was　thrown　back；　and　Prince　saw　the　shining　black　hair　and
  black；　audacious　eyes　of　Kate　Van　Corlear。
  〃Don't　ask　any　questions。　　I'm　the　doctor；　and　there's　my
  prescription；〃　and　she　pointed　to　the　half…frightened；　half…sobbing
  Carry　in　the　corner〃to　be　taken　at　once。〃
  〃Then　Mrs。　T