“Yes, I know; but I want to ask you something before I sleep.”

“Well, what is it?” Still he did not look up from his papers.

“Will you attend the exercises to-morrow?”

“Is it a matter of any consequence whether I do or not?”

“To me, sir, it certainly is.”

“Child, I shall not have leisure.”

“Be honest, and say that you have not sufficient interest!” cried she passionately.

He smiled, and answered placidly: 

“Good-night, Beulah.  You should have been asleep long ago.”  Her lips quivered, and she lingered, loath to leave him in so unfriendly a mood.  Suddenly he raised his head, looked at her steadily, and said: 

“Have you sent in your name as an applicant for a situation?”

“I have.”

“Good-night.”  His tone was stern, and she immediately retreated.  Unable to sleep, she passed the remaining hours of the short night in pacing the floor, or watching the clockwork of stars point to the coming dawn.  Though not quite eighteen, her face was prematurely grave and thoughtful, and its restless, unsatisfied expression plainly discovered a perturbed state of mind and heart.  The time had come when she must go out into the world and depend only upon herself; and though she was anxious to commence the work she had assigned herself, she shrank from the thought of quitting her guardian’s home and thus losing the only companionship she really prized.  He had not sought to dissuade her; had appeared perfectly indifferent to her plans; and this unconcern had wounded her deeply.  To-morrow would decide her election as teacher, and, as the committee would be present at her examination (which was to be more than usually minute in view of her application), she looked forward impatiently to this occasion.  Morning dawned, and she hailed it gladly; breakfast came, and she took hers alone; the doctor had already gone out for the day.  This was not an unusual occurrence, yet this morning she noted it particularly.  At ten o’clock the academy was crowded with visitors, and the commissioners and teachers were formidably arrayed on the platform raised for this purpose.  The examination began; Greek and Latin classes were carefully questioned, and called on to parse and scan to a tiresome extent; then came mathematical demonstrations.  Every conceivable variety of lines and angles adorned the blackboards; and next in succession were classes in rhetoric and natural history.  There was a tediousness in the examinations incident to such occasions, and, as repeated inquiries were propounded, Beulah rejoiced at the prospect of release.  Finally the commissioners declared themselves quite satisfied with the proficiency attained, and the graduating class read the compositions for the day.  At length, at a signal from the superintendent of the department, Beulah ascended the platform, and, surrounded by men signalized by scholarship and venerable from age, she began her address.  She wore a white mull muslin, and her glossy black hair was arranged with the severe simplicity which characterized her style of dress.  Her face was well-nigh as colorless as the paper she held, and her voice faltered with the first few sentences.