sters to me; but there were some things I
could never speak to them about, and I am so glad that you who know me
so truly are here again! I shall have nothing now to ask excepting that
you go away from your poor child no more."

"Never fear, my darling," said Mrs. Dunmore, "nothing shall again come
between us so long as God permits us to dwell upon the earth; but we
must not forget to prepare for a severance that must one day come, so
that we may be reunited where all partings shall forever be over."

Jennie clasped still tighter the hand of her mother, as she thought how
severely that long separation would try one or the other of them; but
she said nothing, for her heart was busy with the memory of the loved
ones who had gone before her to the home above, and she felt that she
had indeed many incentives to struggle for the same blessed inheritance.

The twilight went out into thick darkness, leaving the mother and child
to their happy communings in the boudoir, amid the blest associations of
a cherished past.

The hum of the streets was hushed. Few sounds came from without; but the
silence that had so long reigned in the mansion, was broken by the
gentle tones of loving and glad voices.

CHAPTER XXI.

"Well, Henry, how shall we kill time this evening?" said Fred. Burling
to Henry Moore, as the two colleagues sauntered up and down the gallery
of Mr. Moore's house.

"If by killing time you mean spending the hours pleasantly, I think we
had better go and chat awhile with Mr. Halberg's pretty daughters,"
replied Henry; "I believe you consider yourself quite a connoisseur in
beauty. Perhaps we shall both find our beau-ideal there to-night. Mary
told me they were expecting a visit from a young friend who is skilled
in captivating hearts, and Rosalie says she arrived this morning. Have
you seen her, Rosalie?" continued he, addressing his sister, who
appeared at the door as they were walking past it.

"Why, Henry, there are so many _hers_ in the world, and even in our own
little village, that it would take a better clairvoyant than myself to
decide which you mean," said Rosalie, glancing upon him with a sparkle
in her merry eye.

"I supposed," said Henry, "your mind would be so full of your friend
that she would immediately occur to you as the object of my inquiry."

"I hope you don't mean to insinuate that I have but one friend!"
answered the sister, with another roguish twinkle of her mischievous
eye; "be