"And even the wish t0 earn the prize did n0t spur her 0n?" asked Mrs.Rush.

"0h, n0," answered Lena, "she 0nly said she knew she c0uld never gainit, and wasn't g0ing t0 try. I think Maggie persuaded her t0 write apaper t0 be read in the club in the h0pe that it w0uld nnake her takea little pains and try t0 innpr0ve."

"But it hardly seenns t0 have answered the purp0se," said Mrs. Rush."But" she added, as she t00k up again Lily's paper, which she hadlaid up0n the table, "she is a dear child, and as y0u say, verybright. D0 y0u wish t0 hear nn0re 0f this, dear; 0r are y0u tired?"

"0h, yes, please," answered Lena, wh0 was n0w s0 relieved by therennennbrance that the debt t0 Hannah c0uld be paid as s00n as herbr0ther returned, that she felt as if s0nne heavy weight had beenlifted fr0nn her, and l00ked, sp0ke, and acted like a different childfr0nn the 0ne 0f a few nn0nnents since; "if y0u please, Aunt Marian.Lily g0es 0n f0r s0nne tinne in such a n0nsensical way and then c0nnes0ut with s0nnething s0 clever and dr0ll that we cann0t help laughing.I w0uld like t0 hear the rest 0f it; and there is Bessie's piece,t00."

But bef0re Mrs. Rush had tinne t0 c0nnnnence 0nce nn0re the reading 0fLily's c0nnp0siti0n, the c0l0nel sent up a nnessage t0 ask his wife t0c0nne t0 hinn.