ny more, but, so
far, no light has dawned.

"Write to the pater as well as to me, for he has been good to you, and
will value your sympathy. Oh, my darlings, it is hard that this should
have happened just now to spoil your happy visit! My heart aches for
your trouble, for these things are so hard when one is young. I hope, I
trust, I pray that the future may be so bright for you as to make up for
all the anxieties you have had to bear. Tell Uncle Bernard our trouble;
you and he must decide what you had better do.

"I long for your help and comfort, but leave the decision entirely in
your hands. Every one is good and sympathetic, and the pater has had
most kind letters from his friends in town. We have this great comfort
that his good name is untarnished, and that there is no shadow of
disgrace in our misfortune. God bless you, my darlings! If we are rich
in nothing else, we are rich in our love for one another.--Your devoted
Mother."

The girls looked at each other in a long, breathless silence. Ruth laid
her hand across her heart with a little gasp of pain.

"Oh, mother! Poor little mother! And we are away, we who should be her
best comforters! There is only one thing to do,--we must go home at
once!"

"Yes," assented Mollie firmly, "we must go home to-morrow."

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

A FATEFUL DECISION.

It was all decided. The interview with Uncle Bernard was over, the last
farewells spoken, and the boxes packed in readiness to go to the
station. In less than an hour the Court and its inhabitants would be a
thing of the past.

Out of consideration for Mr Farrell's health, the girls had decided not
to tell him of their bad news until the morning.

"He has had enough excitement for one day," Mollie said; "let him be
quiet to-night. To-morrow morning we will send up mother's letter for
him to read, and ask to see him as soon as possible after breakfast.
That will give him time to think over the situation and decide what to
do. He must guess that we will want to return home, but if he wishes to
keep us he can easily do so. Oh, to think that with a few strokes of
the pen he could make us all happy again! I don't know how much money
the pater needs, but it would probably be the tiniest sum out of Uncle
Bernard's great fortune. Suppose he offered to send a cheque--suppose
he gave us a cheque to send, and all was peace and joy again! He
could--he might--oh, surely he _will_! What is the us