siting his grave some twenty years after I had seen him laid in it,
should be the child of the beloved daughter who had helped to hasten him
thither.'

'My poor, dear mother!' said Gladys, sobbing as if her heart would
break.

'Still less that you, my dear niece, would be five or six years in my
house; I loving you as a daughter, and yet not knowing the relationship
existing between us. But how could it have been discovered but for this
book? I only knew of you, that you were an Irish girl escaping from
poverty in Ireland, to find some Welsh friends, whose address even you
did not know. But for your evident truthfulness, the very story must
have been doubted. When I saw you at Mr Prothero's, I took you for his
daughter; since I have looked upon you as one of our family, an orphan
to be pitied and loved. Let us thank God and kind Christian people, that
you have been so pitied and loved.'

Mr Jones' mild grey eyes, full of tears, turned upon Miss Gwynne, who
said, hastily,--

'Ought not we to tell her first and best friends of this strange
discovery?--Rowland, Mr Prothero, and Netta. What must they think of our
long absence?'

'Not for worlds, Miss Gwynne, if you please!' cried Gladys, 'I could
never be what I would like to be to Mrs Jenkins and her dear mother, if
I were anything but the Gladys they have always known. They would be
treating me as--as--they would not let me work and wait upon Mrs
Jenkins. Until she is at home, at least, let me be as I am, as I was; it
is all so strange. Until I have offered to remain and nurse her, and
been refused--until, in short--'

'I understand, Gladys,' said Miss Gwynne. 'You are quite right. Let them
all value you for yourself, and then we will introduce you as--'

'I didn't mean that, indeed, indeed, Miss Gwynne,' said Gladys, her pale
face growing red. 'I only wanted to show my gratitude, as I am, to them
all. Perhaps even Mr Prothero may excuse me then, and--'

Here Gladys broke down again. She could not explain her own bewildered
thoughts; but her friends understood her, and respected the honest pride
that would be known, welcomed and beloved for merit, and not for a
bettered position and condition. Miss Gwynne saw a vision of Owen in the
background, with his handsome, honest, black eyes, and white teeth; but
she did not mention what she saw.

'At any rate, I must go and make the best of lame excuses,' she said,
'and leave you in your new relationship, to dry your ey