you been
thinking of? You must explain yourself fully. I have a right to
demand it!"

Alma again left the room, to return with the little yellow house in her
hands. "Here is my savings-box, papa," she said; "Nono made it for me."

A flush of pleasure came over the face of the colonel. "So exactly
like Karin's cottage!" he exclaimed. "What a clever little boy! I
like him."

"I thought--I thought," said Alma, encouraged by her father's smile--"I
thought I would like to have a home for sick little children. I wanted
to save my money to do something really good and lasting, instead of
fooling it away by giving a little here and there, that did not after
all do much good to anybody. I have saved all I could, and have given
nothing away for anything else, but it went very slowly, and then I
thought of those ornaments that were to be mine, and--I really did not
think you would care." Here Alma blushed, and added, "I hoped you
would not mind!" and her tears fell fast.

"My poor child!" said the colonel, as he put his arm around her and
drew her to his side. "So this is the explanation of the change that
had passed over you, and had given me so much pain!--my little Alma,
who loved so dearly to give, and who has lately been so hard and cold
that the very idea of an appeal from a poor family seemed to close her
heart and stiffen her face into determined opposition. You cannot be a
princess, dear, and do some great thing. I am afraid there was more
pride than holy love in your plan. You should not think of yourself
when you want to do good, but of your heavenly Master and his suffering
brothers. Remember that! That was your dear mother's way. Self
seemed dead in her. If she could but have lived to teach you by her
beautiful example! It is not in seeking to do some great thing that we
are in the right path. The little things that come to us day by day
and hour by hour are safest for most Christians, and surely so for
beginners. Where is the key to this locked little house?"

Alma produced the key at once, and placed it in her father's hands. He
might open that small door if he pleased. She fancied it would be
almost wrong to do it herself.

The door was opened, and there, among small coins and great, lay the
jewels. The crystal of the watch had been broken by some falling
contribution. The colonel took the watch in his hand, and said,--

"This can easily be repaired. You must wear it constantly; and