"Jean has not changed much," said Ernestine. "She is taller and sweeter
looking, but just the same dear, quiet little thing. She walks with a
cane now, and is perfectly straight. How glad I shall be to see her, I
wish she was coming to-day!"

She came the next, as if in answer to their eagerness and longing, and
this is the way it happened.

Mrs. Dering was in the hall, when she saw a carriage stop at the gate,
and though Mr. Congreve and Jean were expected in two or three days, it
never occurred to her, that they might come before; so while she took
off her apron, and brushed a little flour--having been in the
kitchen--from her dress, the arrivals had left the carriage, and were
coming in at the gate. She got as far as the door, then paused, and
caught her breath as if in a spasm of sudden joy.

Coming up the walk with swiftly flying feet, outstretched arms, and
glowing face wildly eager, was a light girlish figure in a pretty
travelling suit, and the mother, feeling her strength forsaking her
knelt down on the porch and opened her arms, her lips dumb, her eyes
blinded with great joyful tears.

Could it be? Oh, had God been so good? Was the flying figure, with
strong perfect limbs and bright eager face, her crippled, crooked little
Jean? It seemed a dream too blissful to be true but the next moment,
their arms were clasped, and Jean's tears and kisses fell like rain, on
her mother's face and hair.

"Oh mama; precious darling mama! are you glad? are you happy that I'm
well? Speak to me, mama; what are you crying for?"

"I'm so happy, darling. Oh, my little Jean, I'm so glad and grateful,"
cried Mrs. Dering, with a great sob, as she folded the little girl
closer, and kissed her again and again. "I knew you would come back to
me better, I did not dream you would come well. Why did you not tell me,
darling?"

"I wanted to surprise you," began Jean; but just then Kat came into the
hall, beheld the astonishing spectacle, and with one shrill utterance of
Jean's name, that summoned the whole family, she had rushed to the
porch, and taken the little girl in a great hug.

Well, what a hub-bub there did follow! How everybody hugged and kissed
everybody, in the abandonment of joy; how Uncle Ridley was deluged with
caresses, and suddenly found himself holding Mrs. Dering in his arms,
and patting her wildly on the back, while she cried on his shoulder. And
didn't Ernestine creep slowly down stairs, and appear like a frai