“Papa will be here next Sunday,” said Carrie.  “He can only come Saturday night on account of his business.”

“Does he do business in New York?” asked Grant.

“Yes; his store is on Broadway.”

“We live on Madison Avenue, and whenever you are in the city we shall be very glad to have you call,” said Mrs. Clifton, graciously.

“Thank you; I should like to call very much,” answered Grant, who was quite sincere in what he said.  “But I don’t often go to New York.”

“Perhaps you will get a place there some time,” suggested Carrie.

“I should like to,” replied Grant.

“Then your father does not propose to send you to college?” It was Mrs. Clifton who said this.

“He wishes me to go, but I think I ought to go to work to help him.  He has two other children besides me.”

“Is either one a girl?” asked Carrie.

“Yes; I have a sister of thirteen, named Mary.”

“I wish you would bring her here to see me,” said Carrie.  “I haven’t got acquainted with any girls yet.”

Mrs. Clifton seconded the invitation, and Grant promised that he would do so.  In fact, he was pleased at the opportunity it would give him of improving his acquaintance with the young lady from New York.  He returned home very well pleased with his trip to Somerset, though he had failed in the object of his expedition.

CHAPTER V

MRS. THORNTON’S PEARLS

The next Sunday Mrs. Clifton and her daughter appeared at church, and Grant had the pleasure of greeting them.  He was invited with his sister to take supper with them on the next Monday afternoon, and accepted the invitation.  About sunset he met his new friends walking, with the addition of the husband and father, who, coming Saturday evening from New York, had felt too fatigued to attend church.  Mr. Clifton, to whom he was introduced, was a portly man in middle life, who received Grant quite graciously, and made for himself acknowledgment of the service which our hero had rendered his daughter.

“If I ever have the opportunity of doing you a favor, Master Thornton, you may call upon me with confidence,” he said.

Grant thanked him, and was better pleased than if he had received an immediate gift.

Meanwhile Deacon Gridley kept his promise, and advanced the minister fifty dollars, deducting a month’s interest.  Even with this deduction Mrs. Thornton was very glad to obtain the money.  Part of it was paid on account to Mr. Tudor, and silenced his importunities for a time.  As to his own plans, there was nothing for Grant to do except to continue his studies, as he might enter college after all.

If any employment should offer of a remunerative character, he felt that it would be his duty to accept it, in spite of his uncle’s objections; but such chances were not very likely to happen while he remained in the country, for obvious reasons.