"What do you mean, child?"
"Mother, I have found the man that I love, and he loves me, and we are engaged."
"Eva, child! I would not have thought this of you. Why haven't you told me before?"
"Because, mamma, it was only this afternoon that I found out that he loved me and wanted me to be his wife."
"And may I presume to ask now who it is?" said Mrs. Van Arsdel, in a tone of pique.
"Dear mother, it is Harry Henderson."
"Mr. Henderson! Well, I do think that is too dishonorable; when I told him your relations with Mr. Sydney."
"Mother, you gave him to understand that I was engaged to Mr. Sydney, and I told him, this afternoon, that I was not, and never would be. He was honorable. After you had that conversation with him, he avoided our house a long time, and avoided me. I was wretched about it, and he was wretched; but this afternoon we met accidentally in the Park; and I insisted on knowing from him why he avoided us so. And, at last, I found out all; and he found out all. We understand each other perfectly now, and nothing can ever come between us. Mother, I would go with him to the ends of the earth. There is nothing that I do not feel able to do or suffer for him. And I am glad and proud of myself to know that I can love him as I do."
"Oh well, poor child! I do not know what we shall do," said Mrs. Van Arsdel, with profound dejection.
"Deary mother, I will do everything I can to help you, and everything I can to help papa. I do not believe there is one of us children that would not. And I think it is true, what Ida is always telling us, that it would be a great deal better for us if we had less, and had to depend on ourselves and use our own faculties more. There are the boys in college; there is no need of their having spending-money as they do. And I know if papa would tell them of his difficulties it would make men of them, just as it would make a woman of me."