were some great surgeon
operating upon a patient, would make you smile; but I think you
could scarcely fail to be touched by his devotion. He tells me that
he is so happy at Thornleigh, and he begins to look a great deal
brighter already. The men say he is indefatigable in his work, and
worth two ordinary boys. He is passionately fond of flowers, and I
have begun to teach him the elements of botany. It is rather slow
work impressing the names of the plants upon his poor feeble brain;
but he is so anxious to learn, and so proud of being taught, that I
am well repaid for my trouble.'

Milly was very anxious that I should spend Christmas at Thornleigh;
but it was by that time nearly a year since I had seen the dear ones
at home, and ill as my dear father could afford any addition to his
expenses, he wished me to spend my holidays with him; and so it was
arranged that I should return to Warwickshire, much to my dear
girl's regret.

The holiday was a very happy one; and, before it was over, I
received a letter from Milly, telling me that Mr. and Mrs. Darrell
were going abroad for some months, and asking me to cut short my
term at Albury Lodge, and come to Thornleigh as her companion, at a
salary which I thought a very handsome one.

The idea of exchanging the dull monotony of Miss Bagshot's
establishment for such a home as Thornleigh, with the friend I loved
as dearly as a sister, was more than delightful to me, to say
nothing of a salary which would enable me to buy my own clothes and
leave a margin for an annual remittance to my father. I talked the
subject over with him, and he wrote immediately to Miss Bagshot,
requesting her to waive the half-year's notice of the withdrawal of
my services, to which she was fairly entitled. This she consented
very kindly to do; and instead of going back to Albury Lodge, I went
to Thornleigh.

Mr. and Mrs. Darrell had started for Paris when I arrived, and the
house seemed very empty and quiet. My dear girl came into the hall
to receive me, and led me off to her pretty sitting-room, where
there was a bright fire, and where, she told me, she spent almost
the whole of her time now.

'And are you really pleased to come to me, Mary?' she asked, when
our first greetings were over.

'More than pleased, my darling. It seems almost too bright a life
for me. I can hardly believe in it yet.'

'But perhaps you will seen get as tired of Thornleigh as ever you
did of Albury Lodge. It will