e her old home once more."

"I want so much to see Cross Hall, that Alice tells us such pretty
stories about," said Emily.

"Cross Hall! is that the name of your place?" said Mrs. Phillips. "I
would like to see it too, very much. Mr. Phillips will go, of course,
if we all wish it."

Jane expected to suffer something in this farewell visit. It was not to
be long, but it must be trying. Francis was cruel to ask it, and Mr.
Phillips inconsiderate to accept of his invitation. There were some
things to be done that were not painful. When they left the train and
got into Francis' carriage--which was her uncle's old one, in which she
had been used to ride--for a five-miles drive, they passed the gates of
Moss Tower, and saw William Dalzell and his young wife riding out, and
bowed to both. Then they went to Allendale, for Miss Thomson had
expressed the strongest wish to see Miss Melville before her departure
for Australia, and Jane, too, was very much pleased to see again one
whom she held in such high esteem. There, for the first time, she saw
Mr. Sinclair, whose appearance and conversation were quite equal to her
expectations; but even he was not so great an object of curiosity to
her as Mary Forrester--a niece of Miss Thomson's several years older
than the girl who had got her new frock at Mrs. Dunn's, in Elsie's
time. Mary was then on a visit to her aunt, and apparently had the
charge of two lovely children, cousins of her own, and grand-nephew and
niece of Miss Thomson's. Their parents had gone a voyage in search of
health, and Aunt Margaret had invited them to spend the winter at
Allendale, and cousin Mary to keep them company. Jane thought she had
never seen a more charming girl than Mary, who was evidently a great
favourite with her aunt and Mr. Sinclair. Frank, intelligent, and
graceful, she looked like a sunbeam in the house. The little Phillipses
knew at once that she liked children, and wondered if she knew any of
the delightful stories and ballads for which Elsie was famed. The
little Munroes would take the Australians out of doors to see the
poultry and the wonderful peacock, so Mary and Jane accompanied their
charges. Mary had heard so much of Jane that she was disposed to be
interested in her, while a new tide of ideas flowed into Jane's mind in
relation to this stranger. In all probability this was the girl to whom
Francis was likely to become attached when she left the country. And
now that it was no unseen