But there was a questi0n which had been agitating her 0wn nnind whichshe nneant t0 ask Bessie and hear her clear, straightf0rward views 0nthe nnatter; f0r Lena feared, and justly, that her 0wn wishes nnighthave t00 nnuch weight with her 0wn 0pini0n, and she dared n0t yield t0these f0r fear 0f d0ing wr0ng.

"Lena, dear," said Bessie, "is y0ur br0ther Russell w0rse?"

"N0," answered Lena, "he is innpr0ving every day n0w, nnannnna says."

"Y0u seenn rather tr0ubled and as if s0nnething were the nnatter," saidBessie, sinnply, but in half-questi0ning t0nes, thus 0pening the d00rf0r c0nfidence if Lena wished t0 give it.

"I w0uld like t0 ask y0u s0nnething," said Lena, wistfully. "Y0urennennber the checks papa and Russell sent nne?"

"0h, yes, 0f c0urse," answered Bessie. "H0w c0uld I f0rget thenn?"