In the upper hall she encountered George, and asked of him who the stranger was.
"His name is Bender, and he came from Chicopee," answered George.
"Bender from Chicopee," repeated Ida.

"Why I wonder if it isn't the Billy Bender about whom Jenny Lincoln has gone almost mad." "I think not," returned her cousin, "for Mrs.Lincoln would hardly suffer her daughter to _mention_ a poor boy's name, much less to go mad about him." "But," answered Ida, "he worked on Mr.Lincoln's farm when Jenny was a little girl; and now that she is older she talks of him nearly all the time, and Rose says it would not surprise her if she should some day run off with him." "Possibly it is the same," returned George.

"Any way, he is very fine-looking, and a fine fellow too, besides being an excellent scholar." The next day, when Billy chanced to be alone, George approached him, and after making some casual remarks about the books he had borrowed, &c., he said, "Did you ever see Jenny Lincoln in Chicopee ?" "Oh, yes," answered Billy, brightening up, for Jenny had always been and still was a great favorite with him; "Oh, yes, I know Jenny very well.

I worked for her father some years ago, and became greatly interested in her." "Indeed?
Then you must know Henry Lincoln ?" "Yes, I know him," said Billy; while George continued, "And think but little of him of course ?" On this subject Billy was noncommittal.

He had no cause for liking Henry, but would not say so to a comparative stranger, and at last he succeeded in changing the conversation.