“I have asked her.”

“And what did she say?  I wish, Charley, you would begin at the beginning and tell me all about it.  How can I help you, if I don’t know?”

I was glad enough to do it.  I began at the beginning, and told all there was to tell.  It was not much,—­for the beauty, the goodness, the patience of Rachel could not be told.  When all was over, she said,—­

“I am glad you have told me, for I can make you easy on one point.  She loves you.  Ah, I can see!  Women can always see, but men are stupid.  Your declaration was too sudden.  She might have thought you were forced into it.  She is too high-minded to take advantage of a moment when your feelings were all excited.  Wait awhile.  Let her see that you do not change, and she will give you just such an answer as you will like to hear.  Why, Charley, I like her better for not accepting you than for anything you have told about her.”

“Well, Fanny,” I said, half sighing, “it may be so,—­I hope it may be so; but if it does turn out as you say, how shall we manage about Aunt Huldah?  You know how she feels; and then there is Alice.”

“What a brother you are!” exclaimed Fanny.  “No sooner do I get you out of one difficulty than you go beating against another!  Perhaps I shan’t like her; then how will you manage about me?  It is not every girl I will take for a sister!  And as for Alice, do you think she is waiting for you all this time, vain man?  She’s got another beau.  But now,” she went on, as soon as she could stop laughing, “go to bed, and sleep easy, knowing that Rachel loves you, for I have said it.  She loves you too well to take you at your word.  I hope she isn’t too good for you.  I will think it all over, and see what can be done.  Good night!  Kiss me now for what I have told you, just as you would Rachel, if she had told you herself.”

And I did, almost.

The next afternoon Fanny and I went out for a long walk.  Aunt Huldah encouraged our going, for she was coloring, and wanted from the store both indigo and alum.

“Do you know the person with whom Rachel is staying?” asked Fanny, as soon as we were fairly started.

“Mrs. James?  Yes, she is a nice young woman.”

“Do you think Rachel would like to learn the milliner’s trade?  It would be a good thing for her.”

“So it would; but where?”

“Does she know much of your friends, of how you are situated?”

“No.  In the few hours we were together I was too much occupied in drawing her out to speak of my own affairs.”

“I suppose she knows where you live?”

“I don’t know; I think, if I spoke of any place, it was Cambridge,—­I hailed from there.”

“Well,” said Fanny, thoughtfully, “perhaps it will make no difference.  Anyway, it will do to try it.  There are many Brownes.  Besides, Aunt Huldah will be different.  She will be Sprague, I shall be only Fanny, and Charley will be Charley.”