-just in your line.'

To Bessie's relief, she perceived that this was wholly unheard by
her father and mother. And there was no withstanding the eager,
happy, shy looks of the mother, whose whole face betrayed that after
many storms she had come into a haven of peace, and that she was
proud to owe it to her daughter.

A few words showed that mother and daughter were absolutely
enchanted with Stokesley, their own situation, and one another--the
young lady evidently all the more because she perceived so much to
be done.

'Everything wants improving. It is so choked up,' she said, 'one
wants to let in the light.'

'There are a good many trees,' said the Admiral, while Bessie
suspected that she meant figuratively as well as literally; and as
the damsel was evidently burning to be out at her clearing
operations again, and had never parted with her axe, the Admiral
offered to go with her and tell her about the trees, for, as he
observed, she could hardly judge of those not yet out in leaf.

She accepted him, though Bessie shrewdly suspected that the advice
would be little heeded, and, not fancying the wet grass and
branches, nor the demolition of old friends, she did not follow the
pair, but effaced herself, and listened with much interest to the
two mothers, who sat on the sofa with their heads together. Either
Mrs. Merrifield was wonderful in inspiring confidence, or it was
only too delightful to Mrs. Arthuret to find a listener of her own
standing to whom to pour forth her full heart of thankfulness and
delight in her daughter. 'Oh, it is too much!' occurred so often in
her talk that, if it had not been said with liquid eyes, choking
voice, and hands clasped in devout gratitude, it would have been
tedious; but Mrs. Merrifield thoroughly went along with it, and was
deeply touched.

The whole story, as it became known, partly in these confidences,
partly afterwards, was this. The good lady, who had struck the
family at first as a somewhat elderly mother for so young a
daughter, had been for many years a governess, engaged all the time
to a curate, who only obtained a small district incumbency in a
town, after wear and tear, waiting and anxiety, had so exhausted him
that the second winter brought on bronchitis, and he scarcely lived
to see his little daughter, Arthurine. The mother had struggled on
upon a pittance eked out with such music teaching as she could
procure, with her little girl for her sole care, jo