re coal, Babette," said Miss Grace, also in French,
taking the letter. "Where is Miss Eeny?"

"Practising in the parlour, Ma'moiselle."

"Very well. Bring in the coal."

Babette disappeared, and the young lady opened her letter. It was very
short.

"Montreal, November, 5, 18--.

"My Dear Grace--Kate arrived in this city a week ago, and
I have remained here since to show her the sights, and let her
recruit after her voyage. Ogden tells me the house is quite ready
for us, so you may expect us almost as soon as you receive this. We
will be down by the 7th, for certain. Ogden says that Rose is
absent. Write to her to return.

"Yours sincerely,
Henry Danton."

"P. S.--Did Ogden tell you we were to have a visitor--an invalid
gentleman--a Mr. Richards? Have the suite of rooms on the west side
prepared for him. H. D."

The young lady refolded her note thoughtfully, and walking to the fire,
stood looking with grave eyes into the glowing coals.

"So soon," she thought; "so soon; everything to be changed. What is
Captain Danton's eldest daughter like, I wonder? What is the Captain
like himself, and who can this invalid, Mr. Richards, be? I don't like
change."

Babette came in with the coal, and Miss Grace roused herself from her
reverie.

"Babette, tell Ledru to have dinner at seven. I think your master and
his daughter will be here to-night."

"Mon Dieu, Mademoiselle! The young lady from England?"

"Yes; and see that there are fires in all the rooms upstairs."

"Yes, Miss Grace."

"Is Miss Eeny still in the parlour?"

"Yes, Miss Grace."

Miss Grace walked out of the dining-room, along a carved and pictured
corridor, up a broad flight of shining oaken stairs, and tapped at the
first door.

"Come in, Grace," called a pleasant voice, and Grace went in.

It was a much more elegant apartment than the dining-room, with flowers,
and books, and birds, and pictures, and an open piano with music
scattered about.

Half buried in a great carved and gilded chair, lay the only occupant of
the room--a youthful angel of fifteen, fragile in form, fair and
delicate of face, with light hair and blue eyes. A novel lying open in
her lap showed what her occupation had been.

"I thought you were practising your music, Eeny," said Grace.

"So I was, until I got tired. But what's that you've got? A letter?"

Grace put it in her hand.

"From papa!" cried the girl,