your father will be able to give some assistance to
you and him at the beginning of your career as a married couple.
Should Providence spare me my present income, my dear eldest daughter
shall not be a portionless bride."

"Papa, you are very, very good to me!" she exclaimed with emotion,
"the very dearest and best of fathers! I can hardly bear to think of
living away from you, even though it may not be miles distant."

"Dear child," he said, drawing her into his arms, "I do not intend it
shall be even one mile. My plan is to build a house for you and
Chester right here on the estate, over yonder in the grove. Some day
in the near future we three will go together and select the exact
spot."

"Oh, papa, what a delightful idea!" she exclaimed, looking up into his
face with eyes dancing with pleasure; "for I may hope to see almost as
much of you as I do now, living in the same house."

"Yes, daughter mine; that is why I want to have your home so near. Now
bid me good-night and get to bed with all speed," he concluded with a
tender caress.

CHAPTER II.

"They are going to have a Christmas tree at Ion, one at Fairview, one
at Roselands, and I suppose one at the Oaks," remarked Ned Raymond one
morning at the breakfast table. "But I guess folks think Elsie and I
have grown too old for such things," he added in a tone of melancholy
resignation and with a slight sigh.

"A very sensible conclusion, my son," said the captain cheerfully,
with a twinkle of amusement in his eye. "But now that you have grown
so manly you can enjoy more than ever giving to others. The presents
you have bought for your little cousins can be sent to be put on their
trees, those for the poor to the schoolhouses; and if you choose you
can be there to see the pleasure with which they are received.
Remember what the Bible says: 'It is more blessed to give than to
receive.'"

"Oh, yes, so it is!" cried the little fellow, his face brightening
very much. "I do like to give presents and see how pleased folks look
that get them."

"And as papa is so liberal to all of us in the matter of pocket money,
we can every one of us have that pleasure," said Grace.

"Yes; and I know we're going to," laughed Ned. "We didn't go so many
times to the city and stay so long there for nothing. And I don't
believe grandma and papa and mamma did either."

"No," said his mother; "and I don't believe anybody--children, friend,
rela