than ever, not only with the mistress of the house, but with Miss Pease,
who was considered eccentric and whose liking was reported hard to win.
The two ladies had many talks concerning the girl.

"She is remarkable," declared Miss Pease on one occasion. "Considering
her lack of early advantages, I consider her ease of manner and
self-possession remarkable. She is a prodigy."

Mrs. Wyeth sniffed. She enjoyed hearing Mary praised, but she objected
to her friend's choice of words.

"For mercy sake, Letitia," she said, "don't call her that. The word
'prodigy' always reminds me of the Crummles infant, the one with the
green parasol and the white--er--lingerie, in 'Nicholas Nickleby.'"

Miss Pease smiled with the superiority of the corrected who is about to
correct.

"I don't see why that should bring the individual you mention to mind,"
she said. "If I remember correctly--and I was brought up on Dickens--she
was a 'phenomenon,' not a prodigy. However, it makes no material
difference what you and I call Mary Lathrop, the fact remains that she
is an exceptionally well-behaved, good-mannered, polite--"

"Sweet, healthy girl," interrupted Mrs. Wyeth, finishing the sentence.
"I know that as well as you do, Letitia Pease. And you know I know
it. Now, what have you in your mind concerning Mary? I know there is
something, because you have been hinting at it for more than a week.
What is it?"