ful for the others' sake.

[Illustration: THE OLD GENTLEMAN LIFTED JEAN UP ON THE POST.]

"I should like to see where papa lived when he was a boy, but I wouldn't
care to have Mr. Congreve there," said Bea, who had that morning began
being more womanly than usual by relieving mama of coffee-urn duties.

"He's gone!" exclaimed Kittie, from the window. "Now for the secret!
What did he say, Jean?"

"I'm not to tell," answered Jean, looking quite excited and rather pale,
as she hurried in; then amazed them all again by hiding her face in Mrs.
Dering's dress and bursting into tears.

"What ever has he done?" cried Kat, bouncing excitedly out of her chair.
"Was he cross?--or perhaps he pinched you or something."

"No, he didn't," said Jean, trembling but smiling through her tears. "He
was very good and kind, and didn't look near so cross as he did in here.
He said that a great many years ago he had a little girl just like me,
and he kissed me, too."

"Did I ever!" cried Kat, quite carried away by curiosity. "And is that
all that he said?"

"No, but I can't tell the rest, now, but he's going to bring me some
candy and I'll give you all some."

Perhaps it was because Mrs. Dering turned her head away just then,
finding control of her face impossible; or because Jean looked so
pathetic, as she gave her little promise; at any rate, Ernestine broke
into a quick sob, and the next moment they were all crying, while Kittie
threw herself on the lounge, and hid her face, as though she never cared
to show it again, and Kat followed her example in the rocking-chair.

For several minutes the sound of weeping filled the room, then Mrs.
Dering wiped her eyes and tried to steady her voice.

"Children, do you think it would make papa happy to see us all so
miserable and wretched?"

Something in the voice hushed the sobs, and caught attention, except
from Ernestine, who continued to cry wailingly.

"If papa had gone to Europe, made a great fortune, and built a grand,
beautiful home for us all to come to, would we all sit down and cry
about it, and say it wasn't right?"

Even Ernestine listened a little at this, and Kittie lifted her drenched
face to look in amaze at her mother.

"I don't think we would, but that our happiness would hardly wait for
the time 'till we started to join him. Now, instead of going to any
country to build us a home, he has gone home himself, to the beautiful
glorious home that was waiting for him, and