* * * * *

Before Hazel went back to Boston, Flossie's mother came to Miss Fletcher's,
and the change for the better in her little daughter filled her with wonder
and joy. With new hope she followed the line of treatment suggested by a
little girl, and by the time another summer came around, two happy children
played again in aunt Hazel's garden, both as free as the sweet air and
sunshine, for Divine Love had made Flossie "every whit whole."

CHAPTER X

THE APPLE WOMAN'S STORY

Jewel told her grandfather all about it that day while they were having
their late afternoon ride.

"And so the little girl got well," he commented.

"Yes, and could run and play and have the most _fun_!" returned Jewel
joyously.

"And aunt Hazel made it up with her nephew."

"Yes. Why don't people know that all they have to do is to put on more love
to one another? Just supposing, grandpa, that you hadn't loved me so much
when I first came."

"H'm. It _is_ fortunate that I was such an affectionate old fellow!"

"Mother says we all have to tend the flower and carry it to the King before
we're really happy. Do you know it made us both think of the same thing
when at last the man did it."

"What was that?"

"Our hymn:--

'My hope I cannot measure,
My path in life is free,
My Father has my treasure
And He will walk with me!'

Don't you begin to love mother very much, grandpa?"

"She is charming."

"Of course she isn't your real relation, the way I am."

"Oh, come now. She's my daughter."

Jewel smiled at him doubtfully. "But so is aunt Madge," she returned.

"Why, Jewel, I'm surprised that any one who looks so tall as you do in a
riding skirt shouldn't know more than that! Mrs. Harry Evringham is _your_
mother."

"I never thought of that," returned the child seriously. "Why, so she is."

"That brings her very close, very close, you see," said Mr. Evringham, and
his reasoning was clear as daylight to Jewel.

At dinner that evening she was still further reassured. The child did not
know that the maids in the house, having been scornfully informed by aunt
Madge of Mrs. Harry's business, were prepared to serve her grudgingly, and
regard her visit as being merely on sufferance despite Mrs. Forbes's more
optimistic view. But the spirit that looked out of Mrs. Evringham's dark
eyes and dwelt in the curves of her lips came and saw and conquered. Jewel
had won the hearts of the