fore
since the children came. A cloud was over them all. No one laughed or
talked freely or cared for amusement. All seemed waiting for some
unpleasant thing that was going to happen.

Early in the morning of the fourth day, a letter was brought to Mrs.
Stanhope, containing an enclosure for the children. The letter was from
their mother. She expressed her gratitude to Mrs. Stanhope for all her
kindness, and for the pleasure the children had enjoyed at Rosemount.
Then followed apologies and regrets for the trouble and annoyance that
the visit must have caused Mrs. Stanhope. And Mrs. Stein closed by
saying that they had too long trespassed on the indulgence of their kind
hostess, and begged her to set a time when it would be convenient to her
for them to take their leave.

The enclosure for the children contained three letters from their aunt.
Emma tore hers open first. A banknote met her delighted eyes. She ran
out of the room, and called Fani. "She has saved us!" she cried. "Oh,
isn't aunty an angel from heaven!" Fani's face shone with pleasure and
surprise. Emma thrust the money into his hand.

"Take it, and run to the fisherman's. I must read my letter"; and she
ran off to the arbor.

After an affectionate greeting it ran thus;--

"It is a crying shame, my dear girl, that this delightful visit, full of
pleasures that may never fall to your lot again, should have been
spoiled by each of you three children, only because of your
disobedience. Especially you and Oscar. Your father and mother gave you
both particular warning against what you were not to do. You both set to
work to see how you could manage to obey in all the trivial details, and
yet carry out your own plans in essentials. You both knew very well what
you were about, and have well deserved the unpleasant consequences of
your actions. I trust that you have both received a lasting lesson. How
much worse the results might have been, dear Emma, we do not dare to
think. We can only guess, though you do not tell us that you had a very
narrow escape. We trust that you will show your gratitude to God for it
by never again straying into forbidden paths. I send you the money you
asked for, in order to spare Mrs. Stanhope any trouble about it. Fani
showed a proper sense of his own folly and of his obligations to her
when he said he would make any sacrifice rather than ask her for it. I
do not lend you the money. It is a gift. But do not run in debt again.
Another