talked of walks to school, when Felix would tell what he would do when
he was a man, and how he took care of her at the crossings, and how rude
boys used to drive them, and how they would look in at the shop windows
and settle what they would buy if they were rich. Then she talked of his
being ill--ill so very long; how he sat in his little chair, and could
not play, and then always lay in bed, and she liked to sit by him,
there; but at last he died, and they carried him away in a great black
coffin, and he would never come back again. But it was so dull now,
there was no one to play with her.

Though the little girl did not cry, she looked very mournful, and Guy
tried to comfort her, but she did not understand him. 'Going to heaven'
only conveyed to her a notion of death and separation, and this phrase,
together with a vague idea who had made her, and that she ought to be
good, seemed to be the extent of the poor child's religious knowledge.
She hardly ever had been at church and though she had read one or two
Bible stories, it seemed to have been from their having been used as
lessons at school. She had a dim notion that good people read the
Bible, and there was one on the little table at home, with the
shell-turkey-cock standing upon it, and mamma read it when Felix died;
but it was a big book, and the shell-turkey-cock always stood upon it;
in short, it seemed only connected with mamma's tears, and the loss of
her brother.

Guy was very much shocked, and so deep in thought that he could hardly
talk to the child in their progress down the hill; but she was just
so tired as to be inclined to silence, and quite happy clinging to his
hand, till he delivered her over to her mother at the foot of the hill,
and went to join his tutor, at the place appointed.

'Wellwood,' said he, breaking silence, when they had walked about half
way back to the farm, 'do you think your cousin would do me a great
kindness? You saw that child? Well, if the parents consent, it would be
the greatest charity on earth if Miss Wellwood would receive her into
her school.'

'On what terms? What sort of an education is she to have?'

'The chief thing she wants is to be taught Christianity, poor child;
the rest Miss Wellwood may settle. She is my first cousin. I don't know
whether you are acquainted with our family history?' and he went on to
explain as much as was needful. It ended in a resolution that if Miss
Wellwood would undertake the char