answered my request."

"Then don't think of it. Good-bye. No, don't waste time in coming to
see me off, but go back to your books like a good child. I mean to
have a little chat with your mamma before I go."

Elsie returned to her lessons with redoubled energy. She was longing
to become more intimately acquainted with Ellen Montgomery, but
resolutely denied herself even so much as a peep at the pages of the
fascinating story-book until her allotted tasks should be faithfully
performed.

These, with her regular daily exercise in the open air, filled up the
morning; there was a half hour before, and another after dinner, which
she could call her own; then two hours for needlework, music, and
drawing, and she was free to employ herself as she would till
bed-time.

That was very apt to be in reading, and if the weather was fine she
usually carried her book to an arbor at some distance from the house.
It was reached by a long shaded walk that led to it from the lawn, on
which the glass doors of her pretty boudoir opened. It was a cool,
breezy, quiet spot, on a terraced hillside, commanding a lovely view
of vale, river, and woodland, and from being so constantly frequented
by our heroine, had come to be called by her name,--"Elsie's Arbor."
Arthur, well acquainted with these tastes and habits, sought, and
found her here on the afternoon of this day--found her so deeply
absorbed in Miss Warner's sweet story that she was not aware of his
approach--so full of sympathy for little Ellen that her tears were
dropping upon the page as she read.