education—­without this it is impossible to build at all, and Winona certainly cannot obtain it if she remains at home.  The new High School at Seaton is offering two open Scholarships to girls resident in the County, the examination for which is on September 8th.  I propose that Winona enters for this examination, and that if she should be a successful candidate, she should come to live with me during the period of her attendance at the High School.  The education is the best possible, there is a prospect of a University Scholarship to be competed for, and every help and encouragement is given to the girls in their choice of a career.  With Winona off your hands, I should suggest that you should engage a competent nursery governess to teach the younger children the elements of order and discipline.  I would gladly pay her salary on the understanding that I should myself select her.

        “Trusting that these proposals may be of some service, and
        hoping to hear a better account of your health,

“I remain,

“Your affectionate Aunt

“and Godmother,

“Harriet Beach.”

Winona laid down the letter with an agitated gasp.  The proposition almost took her breath away.

“What an idea!” she exclaimed indignantly.  “Mother, of course you won’t even dream of it for an instant!  I’d hate to go and live with Aunt Harriet.  It’s not to be thought of!”

“Well, I don’t know, Winona!” wavered Mrs. Woodward.  “We must look at it from all sides, and perhaps Aunt Harriet’s right, and it really would be for the best.  Miss Harmon’s a poor teacher, and I’m sure your music, at any rate, is not a credit to her.  You played that last piece shockingly out of time.  You know you said yourself that you were getting beyond Miss Harmon!”

Whatever impeachments Winona may have brought against her teacher, she was certainly not prepared to admit them now.  She rejected the project of the Seaton High School with the utmost energy and determination, bringing into the fray all that force of character which her mother lacked.  Poor Mrs. Woodward vacillated feebly—­she was generally swayed by whoever was nearest at the moment—­and I verily believe Winona’s arguments would have prevailed, and the whole scheme would have been abandoned, had not Mr. Joynson opportunely happened to turn up.

Mr. Joynson was a solicitor, and the trustee of Mrs. Woodward’s property.  He managed most of her business affairs, and some of her private ones as well.  She had confidence in his judgment, and she at once thankfully submitted the question of Winona’s future to his decision.

“The very thing for her!” he declared.  “Do her a world of good to go to a proper school.  She’s frittering her time away here.  Send her to Seaton by all means.  What are you to do without her?  Nonsense!  Nobody’s indispensable—­especially a girl of fifteen!  Pack her off as soon as you can.  Doesn’t want to go?  Oh, she’ll sing a different song when once she gets there, you’ll see!”