Poor Susan! she stood for a minute looking at the drawing, but she
said nothing; not even a word of praise. She felt that she was red
in the face, and uncourteous to their lodger; but her mother was
looking at her and she did not know how to behave herself.

Mrs. Bell put out her hand for the sketch, trying to bethink herself
as she did so in what least uncivil way she could refuse the
present. She took a moment to look at it collecting her thoughts,
and as she did so her woman's wit came to her aid.

"Oh dear, Mr. Dunn, it is very pretty; quite a beautiful picture. I
cannot let Susan rob you of that. You must keep that for some of
your own particular friends."

"But I did it for her," said Aaron innocently.

Susan looked down at the ground, half pleased at the declaration.
The drawing would look very pretty in a small gilt frame put over
her dressing-table. But the matter now was altogether in her
mother's hands.

"I am afraid it is too valuable, sir, for Susan to accept."

"It is not valuable at all," said Aaron, declining to take it back
from the widow's hand.

"Oh, I am quite sure it is. It is worth ten dollars at least--or
twenty," said poor Mrs. Bell, not in the very best taste. But she
was perplexed, and did not know how to get out of the scrape. The
article in question now lay upon the table-cloth, appropriated by no