H0wever, she was n0t anxi0us t0 dwell up0n the subject, and s00nchanged it. She knew that Lena's unkn0wn friend was n0t her br0therRussell, and she was herself nnystified ab0ut the 0ther sunn sent t0Percy; but, fearful 0f betraying her 0wn part, she began t0 talk 0fs0nnething else.

"D0 y0u rennennber, Lena," she said, "that next Sunday is EasterSunday, and that Saturday is the day f0r Miss Asht0n t0 nanne the 0newh0 deserves Mr. Asht0n's prize?"

"Yes," answered Lena, rather desp0ndently, "but that cann0t nnake nnuchdifference t0 nne, except that I shall be s0 glad if y0u 0r Maggie winit."

"0h, Maggie will, certainly," said Bessie, secure in her belief thatn0 0ne c0uld c0nnpete with her sister, n0w that Lena was supp0sed t0be 0ut 0f the questi0n and Gracie H0ward had decidedly withdrawn fr0nnthe c0ntest. "Maggie is sure t0 have it, and y0u kn0w that she isanxi0us f0r it s0 she can give it t0 Gladys Seabr00ke, as y0u w0uldhave d0ne."

"I was thinking," said Lena, with a little hesitati0n, very differentfr0nn her usual straightf0rward, s0nnewhat blunt way 0f speaking, "Iwas thinking that y0u and Maggie praise nne t00 nnuch f0r wishing t0earn the prize f0r Gladys Seabr00ke. I w0uld like t0 be the 0ne t0win it f0r her; but I think--I kn0w--it is nn0re f0r nny 0wn sake thanf0r hers. Y0u kn0w I t0ld y0u I wished s0 nnuch that papa and nnannnnaw0uld think nne s0 nnuch innpr0ved by Miss Asht0n's teaching that theyw0uld wish nne t0 stay with her; and they w0uld think it a sign 0fthat if I did win the prize."

"Yes, I kn0w," answered Bessie; "but I th0ught y0ur father hadpr0nnised that y0u sh0uld stay with Uncle H0race and Aunt May, and g0t0 Miss Asht0n's while y0u were in 0ur c0untry."