you shall always have in me and in my house, my child," said
the Iron King.

Cora listened in pure amazement. Her grandfather sympathetic! Her
grandfather giving praise and quoting poetry! What was the matter with
him? Not softening of the heart; he had never possessed such a
commodity. Was it softening of the brain, then? As soon as they had
finished dinner and returned to the drawing room, the Iron King said to
his guest:

"Now, my child, I shall send you off to bed. You have had a very long
and fatiguing journey and must have a good, long night's sleep."

And with his own hands he lighted a wax taper and gave it to her. Rose
received it with a grateful smile, bade a sweet toned good night to Mr.
Rockharrt and Mrs. Rothsay, and went tripping out of the room.

"I shall say good night, too, Cora; I am tired. But let me say this
before I go: Do you try to take pattern by that admirable child. See how
she tries to make the best of everything and to be pleasant under all
her sorrows. You have not had half her troubles, and yet you will not
try to get over your own. Imitate that poor child, Cora."

"'Child,' my dear grandfather! Do you forget that Mrs. Stillwater is a
widow thirty-six years old?" inquired Cora.

"'Thirty-six.' I had not thought of it, and yet of course I knew it.
Well, so much the better. Yet child she is compared to me, and child she
is in her perfect trust, her innocent faith, her meekness, candor and
simplicity, and the delightful abandon with which she gives herself to
the enjoyment of the passing hour. This will be a brighter house for the
presence of Rose Stillwater in it," said the Iron King, as he took up
his taper and rang for his valet and left the room.

Cora sat a long time in meditation before she arose and followed his
example. When she entered her chamber, she was surprised and annoyed to
find Rose Stillwater there, seated in the arm chair before the fire. Old
Martha was turning down the bed for the night.

"Cora, love, it is not yet eleven o'clock, though the dear master did
send us off to bed. But I wanted to speak to you, darling Cora, just a
few words, dear, before we part for the night; so when I met my old
friend, Aunt Martha, in the hall, I asked her to show me which was your
room, so I could come to you when you should come up; but Aunt Martha
told me she was on the way to your room to prepare your bed for the
night, and she would bring me here to sit down and wait for you. S