out. Well--what else?"

"I am sure she is very kind," said Fleda. "She wants to have me go out
there and live with her very much. She says I shall have everything I like
and do just as I please, and she will make a pet of me and give me all
sorts of pleasant things. She says she will take as good care of me as
ever I took of the kittens. And there's a long piece to you about it, that
I'll give you to read as soon as we have a light. It is very good of her,
isn't it, grandpa? I love aunt Lucy very much."

"Well," said Mr. Ringgan after a pause, "how does she propose to get
you there?"

"Why," said Fleda,--"isn't it curious?--she says there is a Mrs. Carleton
here who is a friend of hers, and she is going to Paris in a little while,
and aunt Lucy asked her if she wouldn't bring me, if you would let me go,
and she said she would with great pleasure, and aunt Lucy wants me to come
out with her."

"Carleton!--Hum--" said Mr. Ringgan; "that must be this young man's
mother?"

"Yes, aunt Lucy says she is here with her son,--at least she says they
were coming."

"A very gentlemanly young man, indeed," said Mr. Ringgan.

There was a grave silence. The old gentleman sat looking on the floor;
Fleda sat looking into the fire, with all her might.