nion; it did not take her long to discover her unselfish
character, amazing adaptability to these strange surrounding's and,
above all, her gift of music. The invalid would lie prone on her sofa
with a handkerchief over her face--rather suggesting the idea of a
laid-out corpse--motionless and spell-bound, and when she spoke it was
merely to murmur:

"Please go on, please go on, Sophy darling; your music is wonderful;
you are my David and I am gloomy Saul. Oh, my dearest child, your
exquisite gift has given me new thoughts, and opened the door of many
delicious and half-forgotten memories!"

Besides soothing her aunt with dreamy and enthralling melodies, Sophy
remembered her "job," and endeavoured to interest her in patience, in
puzzles and the latest stitch; but Frau Krauss had no taste for cards
or puzzles. She was, however, profoundly interested in Sophy's pretty
frocks, examined them, priced them, and tried them on; otherwise she
preferred to lounge among her cushions and talk, whilst her niece, who
busied herself mending table linen, proved an invaluable listener.

"You are a treasure, my sweet child," she remarked; "I have so often
longed for a companion of my own class and nation. All my neighbours
are German; here in Kokine is a German colony; they all dine and have
music, and gossip together, and I am rather out of it. Of course, I
speak German, but not very fluently. There are two or three uncommonly
smart women who speak English as well as you do, and their children
have English names; but all the same, they hate us in their secret
hearts and often give me a nasty scratch; so I needn't tell you that I
don't open my heart to _them_. The English live in another
direction--down the Halpin Road, or out by the Royal lakes, and I have
really grown too lazy and careless to go among them. Besides, what is
the good? My friends return to England, new people come, but as for
poor me--I stay on for ever."

"And, of course, you would like to go home, Aunt Flora, would you not?"

"For some things, yes! But how can I leave Karl? Also, I feel that
this country has got such a hold upon me--oh, such a hold!" And she
closed her eyes and sighed profoundly.

Three whole weeks had elapsed since Sophy arrived, and during that time
she had not been outside the compound. Herr Krauss had departed up
country and taken the car with him; in the meanwhile Sophy had
contrived to carry out some improvements, and induced he