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134 speak better nor I do, and to know the meaning of words and how to spell them, and to have some notion about places, and to play on the piano; but as for the airs, and graces, and carriage that Miss Effingham is always dinning into our ears, I see no good in them."

"Airs and graces for you to ride in a carriage in!" exclaimed Mrs. Lindsay. "Indeed its sma' thanks Miss Effingham will get from me if that is what she airts at. I'll speak to your father about it this very day, and if he thinks weel o' your notion, and Amy is willing to try, we might have you learnt something without the airs and graces. But I'll see what Allan says first, before I break it to the good man," said Mrs. Lindsay, with her instinctive respect for the judgment of her eldest son, who, besides, was most likely to know Amy's real feelings on the subject.

Allan hesitated; he thought, like his mother, that it was taking advantage of Amy to give her so many pupils. But he now saw his way and hoped to be less troublesome to her, and there was no doubt she could teach them, as well as they had hitherto been taught, and he knew she wished to make the attempt.

Hugh Lindsay was willing to do what his wife and Allan thought feasible, and it was settled that Amy was to be asked to undertake the duties.