"But how?"
"Well, Grandmother Duval is very feeble; she has no relation but me in the world, that she knows of. She isn't fit to stay alone, and she doesn't like having a stranger; so there seems a clear call for me to stay."
"But what does Mrs. Tremaine say?"
"She thinks I am right, and so does Mrs. Parmalee, and I am sure I am," answered Therese. "Grand-mère Duval has always been the kindest of the kind to me, and now it is my turn to do something for her."
"Well, I think she is very mean and selfish to require such a sacrifice," said Marion, with her usual want of consideration; "she ought to be willing to give up something for your sake, and not expect you to sacrifice such advantages for improving yourself."
"I suppose the best way of improving one's self is by doing one's duty," said Therese with some animation. "If you knew my grandmother, Marion, you would never think of calling her selfish. She never asked me to stay. But I know it will be a great comfort to her, and indeed I don't see how she could do without me. She is very much changed and broken since—since I was sick. She is unfit to be alone, and there is nobody else to stay with her. She did all she could for me, and, as I said, now it is my turn to do for her."
"But were you not dreadfully disappointed?" asked Marion, with an uncomfortable feeling that these words might somehow apply to herself.
"Why yes, I was, there is no denying it," answered Therese, winking her long lashes pretty hard, but smiling brightly at the same time. "However, it is not an unmixed disappointment after all. I am going to step into your shoes, Marion. Miss Tilly has given me her scholarship in the Crocker school."
"Why, what has Miss Tilly to do with it, and how does she come to have a scholarship?" asked Marion.
"Because her name is Crocker," answered Kitty. "There is a great deal in a name sometimes. Cousin Tilly is one of the two remaining descendants of old Mr. Crocker who founded and endowed the school before the Revolution. She is his great-granddaughter, and, as such, has the right of nominating two pupils to the school whenever there are vacancies. I have one scholarship, and I have lent it to Mary Parmalee's cousin for the present. The other has been vacant some time, and Cousin Tilly has given it to Therese."