ily cares and employments, to struggle good-humoredly
with indifferent servants, to do battle with her little nephews over
their lessons, to walk with them and tell them stories. At times she
almost forgot that the diligently sought will lay in its
innocent-looking cover among her clothes, or that any results would flow
from her daring and criminal act; then again the consciousness of having
weighted her life with a secret she must never reveal would press
painfully upon her, and make her greedy for the moment when Mr. Newton
would relinquish the search, and she should reap the harvest she
expected.

She never believed that her uncle was as rich as Ada supposed, but she
did hope for a small fortune which might secure comfort and ease.

Mrs. Frederic Liddell was a real affliction during this period. The idea
of inheriting John Liddell's supposed wealth was never absent from her
thoughts, and seldom from her lips. Even the boys were infected by her
gorgeous anticipations.

"I shall have a pony like that, and a groom to ride beside me," Cecil
would cry when his attention was caught by any young equestrian. "And I
will give you a ride, auntie. Shall you have a carriage too, or will you
drive with mammy?"

"And I shall have a beautiful dog, like Mrs. Burnett's, and a garden
away in the country," was Charlie's scheme. "You shall come and dig in
it, auntie."

"Do not think of such things, my dears," was auntie's usual reply. "I am
afraid we shall never be any richer than we are; so you must be diligent
boys, and work hard to make fortunes for yourselves."

"Where did Uncle Liddell keep all his money?" was one of Cecil's
questions in reply. "Did he keep it in big bags downstairs? He hadn't a
nice house; it was quite a nasty one."

"Had he a big place in a cave, with trees that grow rubies and diamonds
and beautiful things?" added Charlie.

"Why doesn't mamma buy us some ponies now?" continued Cis; "we should be
some time learning to ride."

"I will not listen to you any more if you talk so foolishly. Try and
think of something else--of the Christmas pantomime. You know grannie
says you shall go if you do your lessons well," returned Katherine.

"It isn't silly!" exclaimed Cecil. "Mammy tells us we must take care of
her when we are rich men, and that we shall be able to hold up our heads
as high as any one. _I_ can hold up my head _now_."

Such conversations were of frequent occurrence, and kept Katherine in a
stat