ot quite knowing what she did.

"It is good to see you, Aunt Bethia," said she.

"You are the only one of the family who looks better for Singleton,"
said Miss Bethia, regarding her with pleased wonder.

Miss Bethia had considered Violet a little girl when she left Singleton;
but she was a little girl no longer, but a young woman, and a very
pretty young woman, too, Miss Bethia acknowledged. If Violet had not
been so glad to see her, and shown it so plainly as to disarm her, she
must, even at the first moment, have uttered some word of counsel or
warning, for to be pretty, and not aware of it, or vain of it, was a
state of things that she could not believe in. However, she reserved
her advice for a future occasion, and, in the meantime, drew her own
conclusions from the brightening of the mother's face at the coming of
her eldest daughter, and from the eager way in which little Mary clung
to her, and the others claimed her attention.

"You must stay at home to-night, Letty," said Jem.

"May I, mamma? I am to be sent for later; but may I not send a message
that Miss Bethia has come, and that you cannot spare me?"

"But I can spare you all the better that Miss Bethia is here," said her
mother, smiling.

"Yes, I know mamma; but I want to stay so much."

"You would not think it polite in her to go away to-night? Now, would
you? Aunt Bethia," said Jem.

"Politeness ain't the only thing to think of," said Miss Bethia.

"Violet is not quite at our disposal just now," said Mrs Inglis; "and I
am afraid you will be missed up there, dear, by the children. They have
had the fever, too, poor little things, and their sister is away, and
they hardly know this aunt yet, and Violet has charge of them. They are
fond of Violet."

"Oh, yes! they are all fond of Violet up there; but so are we," said
Jem. "Let her stay, mamma."

"And how do you like earning your living?" asked Miss Bethia.

Violet laughed.

"Oh, I like it. When did you come, Miss Bethia? You are not looking
very well."

"I haven't been well--had a sharp turn of rheumatism. I had some
business, and I came yesterday."

"And how are all the Gourlay people? And you live in our house now.
How strange it must seem! And what a shame that your old place is
spoiled!"

"I thought so at the time, but it might have been worse."

And then Violet had a great many questions to ask, and listened with
many exclamations of wonder and pleasure to all that sh