My dear, I am very glad to see you; very glad, indeed.
Father says you are _his_ girl; but you must be mine, too, and learn
to love the old lady just as fast as you can."

Was not this a delightful reception for a weary, journey-stained
little traveller? Eyebright returned the kiss with one equally warm,
and all her fears of Mrs. Joyce fled for ever.

"You shall go right upstairs," said this new friend; "tea will be
ready soon, and I know you are longing for some cold water to wash off
the dust. It's the most refreshing thing always after a journey."

She led the way, and left Eyebright to herself in a little bedroom.
Such a pretty bedroom it was! Eyebright felt sure at once that it had
been got ready expressly for herself. It was just such a room as a
young girl fancies, with a dainty white bed, white curtains at the
window, a white-frilled toilet-table, and on the toilet-table a smart
blue pincushion, with "Welcome" stuck upon it in shining pins. Even
the books on the table seemed to have been chosen to suit her taste,
for there lay "The Dove in the Eagle's Nest;" "The Wide Wide World;"
"The Daisy Chain," in two fat blue volumes; and Mrs. Whitney's
charming tale of "We Girls." She peeped at one title after another
with a little jump of satisfaction. How long, how very long it was
since she had had a new story-book to read. A whole feast of enjoyment
seemed shut up inside those fascinating covers. But she would not
nibble the feast now; and closing "The Daisy Chain," begun to unpack
her handbag.

She opened the top bureau-drawer, and said, "Oh!" quite aloud, for
there appeared a row of neat little linen collars and cuffs, some
pretty black neck-ties, a nube of fleecy white wool, and a couple of
cunning paper boxes with the jeweller's mark on their lids. Could they
be meant for her? She ventured to peep. One box held a pair of jet
sleeve-buttons; the other, a small locket of shining jet, with a
ribbon drawn through its ring, all ready for wear. She was still
wondering over these discoveries, when a little tap sounded on the
door, followed immediately by the appearance of Mrs. Joyce.

"I just came to see if you had all you wanted," she said. "Oh, you
have found those little duds. I knew, from what Father wrote, that you
couldn't get any thing in the place where you were, so I chose those
few little things, and to-morrow we'll see what more you want." Then,
cutting short Eyebright's thanks, she opened the closet door