ection with it."

"Oh, let me see to that; I will take care that all is as it should be, my
dear Titus," said aunt Ninette decidedly, and off she went, and without
more delay wrote and dispatched a letter to her brother's wife's uncle.
This done, she hurried away to Dora's sewing teacher, who was a most
respectable woman, and arranged that while they were in Switzerland, Dora
should spend the days with her, going to school as usual in the morning
and sewing all the afternoon, and that the woman should go home with Dora
to pass the nights.

Dora was informed of this plan when she came home that evening. She
received the news in silence, and after supper in silence went to her
little attic room. There as she sat upon her little bed, she realized
fully what her life would be when her uncle and aunt had gone away, and as
she compared it sadly with the happy companionship of her dear father, her
sorrow and solitude seemed too terrible to bear, and she hid her face in
her hands and gave way to bitter tears. Her uncle and aunt might die too,
she thought, and she should be left alone with no one to care for her, no
one in the world to whom she belonged, and nothing to do but to sit
forever sewing on endless shirts. For ever and ever! for she knew she must
earn her living by sewing. Well, she was quite willing to do that; but oh!
not to be left all alone.

The poor child was so wholly absorbed in these painful thoughts, as they
passed again and again through her mind, that she lost all sense of time,
till at last she was aroused, by the clock on the neighboring tower
striking so many times that she was frightened. She raised her head. It
was perfectly dark. Her little candle had burned out, and not a glimmer of
light came from the street. But the stars; yes, there were the five stars
above still shining so joyfully, that it seemed to Dora as if her father
were looking down upon her with loving eyes, and saying cheeringly,

"God holds us in his hand
God knows the best to send."

The sparkling starlight sank deep into her heart, and made it lighter. She
grew calmer. Her father knew, she said to herself, she would trust his
knowledge, and not fear what the future might hold in store. And after she
laid her head on her pillow, she kept her eyes fixed upon the beautiful
stars until they closed in sleep.

On the following evening the doctor came as he had promised. He began to
suggest various places to Uncle Titus, but A