ords of
devotional aspiration before, they were realities at last. And it was
that peace that breathed into her fresh energy to work and love on,
unwearied by disappointment, but with renewed willingness to spend and be
spent, to rejoice with those who rejoiced, to weep with them that wept,
to pray and hope for those who had wrung her heart.

Her tears were flowing as she tenderly embraced Phoebe, and the girl
clung fast to her, not weeping, but full of warm, sweet emotion. 'Dear
Miss Charlecote, now you are come, I have help and comfort!'

'Dear one, I have grieved to be away, but I could not leave poor Mrs.
Saville.'

'Indeed, I know you could not; and it is better to have you now than even
at the time. It is a new, fresh pleasure, when I can enjoy it better.
And I feel as if we had a right to you now--since you know what I told
you,' said Phoebe, with her pretty, shy, lover-like colouring.

'That you are Humfrey's ward?--my legacy from him? Good!' said Honora,
ratifying the inheritance with a caress, doubly precious to one so seldom
fondled. 'Though I am afraid,' she added, 'that Mr. Crabbe would not
exactly recognize my claim.'

'Oh, I don't want you for what Mr. Crabbe can do for us, but it does make
me feel right and at ease in telling you of what might otherwise seem too
near home. But he was intended to have taken care of us all, and you
always seem to me one with him--'

Phoebe stopped short, startled at the deep, bright, girlish blush on her
friend's cheek, and fearing to have said what she ought not; but Honor,
recovering in a moment, gave a strange bright smile and tightly squeezed
her hand. 'One with him! Dear Phoebe, thank you. It was the most
undeserved, unrequited honour of my life that he would have had it so.
Yes, I see how you look at me in wonder, but it was my misfortune not to
know on whom or what to set my affections till too late. No; don't try
to repent of your words. They are a great pleasure to me, and I delight
to include you in the charges I had from him--the nice children he liked
to meet in the woods.'

'Ah! I wish I could remember those meetings. Robert does, and I do
believe Robert's first beginning of love and respect for what was good
was connected with his fondness for Mr. Charlecote.'

'I always regard Bertha as a godchild inherited from him, like Charlecote
Raymond, whom I saw ordained last week. I could not help going out of my
way when I found I might be pres