tained in
our dear city. These empty squares about us shall keep their old
trees intact, but the grounds shall be beautified by the highest
landscape art, to which the full view of our grand lake will give
crowning charm. When we have done with it all we will give it to the
little children for a perpetual playground. Even the proposed new
enlargement of the city limits will hardly encroach upon us here."

"But it will, Gaspar, it surely will! When I hark back, as Abel used
to say, I find Katasha's prophecies and my old dreams more than
fulfilled. But the end is not yet, nor soon."

Now that her daughters were scattered to their various points of
usefulness and the Sun Maid was left alone with Hugh's one motherless
child--another Kitty--the great house seemed more empty than ever; and
its brave mistress resolved to people it with something more
substantial and needy than memories. So she gathered about her a host
to whom the cruel war had brought distress of one form or another;
while out among the trees of the park she erected a great barrack,
fitted with every aid to comfort and convalescence. This, like the
mansion, was speedily filled, and the "Keith Rest" became a household
word throughout the land.

The war which wise folk augured at its beginning, would be over in a
few days dragged its weary length into the months, and though for a
time there were many and cheerful letters, these ceased suddenly at
the last, giving place to one brief telegram from Honoria: "Mother, my
work here is ended. I am bringing home your heroes--four."

Upon the hearth-rug, Kitty the younger, lay stretched at her ease,
toying with the sharp nose of her favorite collie. She had the Sun
Maid's own fairness of tint and the same wonderful hair; but her eyes
were dark as her grandsire Gaspar's and saw many things which they
appeared not to see; for instance, that one of the numerous telegrams
her busy grandmother was always receiving had been read and dropped
upon the floor. Yet this was a common circumstance, and though she
felt it her duty to rise and return the yellow paper to the hand which
had held it, she delayed a moment, enjoying the warmth and ease. Then
Bruce, the collie, sat up and whined,--dolefully, and so humanly, it
seemed, that the girl also sprang up, demanding:

"Why, Bruce, old doggie, what do you hear? What makes you look so
queer?"

Then her own gaze followed the collie's to her grandmother's face and
her scream ech