I doubt my capacity to be a good comforter to him though I have all
the will."

Two little spots of red appeared for the first time for many weeks on
Miss Pritty's cheeks, as she said in a tone of enthusiasm:--

"What! _You_ not a good comforter? I've a good mind to refuse your
invitation, since you dare to insinuate that I could in any degree
supplement _you_ in such a matter."

"Well, then, we won't make any more insinuations," returned Aileen, with
a sad smile; "but you'll come--that's settled. You know, dear, that we
had lost everything, but ever since our jewel-case was found by--by--"

"By Edgar," said Miss Pritty; "why don't you go on?"

"Yes, by Mr Berrington," continued Aileen, "ever since that, papa has
been very hopeful. I don't know exactly what his mind runs on, but I
can see that he is making heaps of plans in regard to the future, and
oh! You can't think how glad and how thankful I am for the change. The
state of dull, heartbreaking, weary depression that he fell into just
after getting the news of our failure was beginning to undermine his
health. I could see that plainly, and felt quite wretched about him.
But now he is comparatively cheerful, and so gentle too. Do you know, I
have been thinking a good deal lately of the psalmist's saying, `it is
good for me that I have been afflicted;' and, in the midst of it all,
our Heavenly Father remembered mercy, for it was He who sent our
jewel-box, as if to prevent the burden from being too heavy for papa."

Miss Pritty's kind face beamed agreement with these sentiments.

"Now," continued Aileen, "these jewels are, it seems, worth a great deal
of money--much more than I had any idea of--for there are among them a
number of very fine diamond rings and brooches. In fact, papa told me
that he believed the whole were worth between eight and nine thousand
pounds. This, you know, is a sum which will at least raise us above
want, (poor Miss Pritty, well did _she_ know that!)--though of course it
will not enable us to live very luxuriously. How fortunate it was that
these pirates--"

"Oh!" screamed Miss Pritty, suddenly, as she drew the clothes over her
head.

"What's the matter?" exclaimed Aileen; "are you going to be--"

"Oh! No, no, no," said Miss Pritty, peeping out again; "how could you
bring these dreadful creatures to my remembrance so abruptly? I had
quite forgotten them for the time. Why, oh why did you banish from my
mind that sweet id