ol before the bedroom fire a
long time that night, looking dreamily into the glowing coals.

Grace, sitting beside her, combing out her own long hair, watched her in
silence.

Presently Eeny looked up.

"How odd it seems to think of her being married."

"Who?"

"Rose. It seems queer, somehow. I don't mind Kate. I heard before ever
she came here that she was going to be married; but Rose--I can't
realize it."

"I have known it this long time," said Grace. "She told me the day she
returned from Ottawa. I am glad she is going to do so well."

"I like him very much," said Eeny; "but he seems too quiet for Rose.
Don't he?"

"People like to marry their own opposite," answered Grace. "Not that but
Rose is getting remarkably quiet herself. She hadn't a word to say all
the evening."

"It will be very lonely when June comes, won't it, Grace?" said Eeny,
with a little sigh. "Kate will go to England, Rose to Ottawa, your
brother is going to Montreal, and perhaps papa will take his ship again,
and there will be no one but you and I, Grace."

Grace stooped down and kissed the delicate, thoughtful young face.

"My dear little Eeny, papa is not going away."

"Isn't he? How do you know?"

"That is a secret," laughing and colouring. "If you won't mention it, I
will tell you."

"I won't. What is it?"

Grace stooped and whispered, her falling hair hiding her face.

Eeny sprang up and clasped her hands.

"Oh, Grace!"

"Are you sorry, Eeny?"

Eeny's arms were around her neck. Eeny's lips were kissing her
delightedly.

"I am so glad! Oh, Grace, you will never go away any more!"

"Never, my pet. And now, don't let us talk any longer; it is time to go
to bed."

Rather to Eeny's surprise, there was no revelation made next morning of
the new state of affairs. When she gave her father his good-morning
kiss, she only whispered in his ear:

"I am so glad, papa."

And the Captain had smiled, and patted her pale cheek, and sat down to
breakfast, talking genially right and left.

After breakfast, Doctor Frank, Mr. Stanford, and M. La Touche, with the
big dog Tiger at their heels, and guns over their shoulders, departed
for a morning's shooting. Captain Danton went to spend an hour with Mr.
Richards. Rose secluded herself with a book in her room, and Kate was
left alone. She tried to play, but she was restless that morning, and
gave it up. She tried to read. The book failed to interest her. She
walked to the window, a