talk to
you about it, for the sad time will come only too quickly. One
only wish that I have greatly at heart I now lay before you, and
that is, that you will take my child under your protection for as
long as she may need your care. I shall leave very little money
behind me, but I beg you to employ this little in teaching Dora
something that will enable her, with God's help, to support
herself when she is old enough.

"Do not, my dear sister, give way to your grief; try to believe as
I believe, that God will always take our children under his
care, when we are obliged to leave them and can no longer provide
for them ourselves. Receive my heartfelt thanks for all the
kindness you have shown to me and my child. God will reward you
for it all."

Aunt Ninette read and re-read these touching lines, and could not help
growing calmer as she read. She turned to the silently weeping Dora with
these words,

"Come, my child, your home henceforth will be with us. You and I will try
to remember that all is well with your father; otherwise we shall break
down under our sorrow."

Dora arose at once and prepared to follow her aunt, but her heart was
heavy within her; she felt as if all was over and she could not live much
longer.

As she came up the stairs behind her aunt, Aunt Ninette omitted for the
first time to caution her to step lightly, and indeed there was no need
now of the usual warning when they approached Uncle Titus' room, for the
little girl was so sad, so weighed down with her sorrow as she entered her
new home, that it seemed as if she could never again utter a sound of
childish merriment.

A little room under the roof, hitherto used as a store-room, was changed
into a bed-room for Dora, though not without some complainings from Aunt
Ninette. However, the furniture was brought over from the Major's rooms,
and after a slight delay, all was comfortably arranged for the child.

When supper-time came, Dora followed her aunt, without a word, into the
dining-room, where they were joined by Uncle Titus, who however seldom
spoke, so deeply was he absorbed in his own thoughts. After supper, Dora
went up to her little room under the roof, and with her face buried in her
pillow, cried herself softly to sleep.

On the following morning she begged to be allowed to go over to look once
again at her father, and after some objection, her aunt agreed to go with
her, and the