know
that there is a wise little head upon these shoulders," said Miss Howard,
as she placed her hand on Toinette's shoulder.

The girl reached up, and drawing the hand close to her cheek held it
there, but did not speak.

"So now," continued Miss Howard, "I am going to ask you to help my
outgoing from this happy home to be a pleasant one, by being my maid of
honor when the time comes; will you, dear?"

"You want _me_ to be the maid of honor, Miss Howard? You don't truly mean
it? There are so many other girls whom you have known so much longer, and
whom you must love better than you do me; although I don't believe they
_can_ love _you_ any better than I do," said Toinette, naively.

"That is just it, dear. I do love them all, and am sure that they are very
fond of me. But in your case it is just a little different. All these
girls have pleasant homes, and many loved ones in them who plan for their
happiness, and to whom they will go directly vacation begins. For many
years you, like myself, have had no home but the one a school offered, and
which, unlike mine, was sometimes not as happy a home as it might have
been, I fear. So, you see, we have, in one way, had a bond of sympathy
between us even before we knew it to be so. And now we have still another,
for when we leave here in June we shall each go to our own dear home; you
to one your father shall make for you, I to the one my husband will
provide for me."

A soft, pretty color had crept over Miss Howard's face as she spoke, and a
very tender look came into her beautiful eyes. Truly, she was carrying
something very sweet and holy to the one who was to bear that name.

"So we shall step out into the new life together, shall we not, Toinette,
and each will be the sweeter for our having done so?" asked Miss Howard.

"It is too lovely even to think about, Miss Howard. I don't know how to
make you understand how proud and happy it makes me to think that you
chose me from among all the others, and I hope they will not feel that you
should not have done so. Do you think they will mind?"

"On the contrary, they are delighted with my choice, for I told them my
reasons, as I have told them to you, and they see it in the same light
that I see it."

"Then I shall be the happiest girl in Montcliff," cried Toinette.

"No, _next_ to the happiest," said Miss Howard, laughing softly.

"Well, I shall be the happiest in _my_ way, and you in _yours_," and
Toinette wagged he