so that I cannot

go

there alone; but when I go

home I

will really try and interest Beatrice in it if she stays." "Or Lady Anne," said Rhoda.

good thing for her?"

"Would it not be a

"Yes, very good; but I am afraid she will not be at Pentyre long. She will probably be gone before I return, as Lady St. Melion was to rejoin her husband in the spring."

"And will Beatrice stay?"

“I think so; but I am not sure how it is settled.” "How they must miss you," said Rhoda.

"I hope they do," answered Minna, with a smile. After a pause Minna began again. "Rhoda, do you think papa will remain at King's Holm. He said something to Frank the other night about the lease of the house being out at Midsummer."

"I should not be surprised if he were to change after that. There are many things he does not like here, and the place will always be sad to him now. It would be very different if it were our own house, but you see papa has no interest in it. I think Frank's being so near may be an inducement to him to stay, but Frank is hoping to get a living soon."

66 Do you think any other place would suit Bessie as well as this does ?"

"I think a milder climate would suit her much better. Devonshire or Cornwall, for instance."

"But papa could not go and live there; he would be too far from London."

"Oh, of course he would have to give up his office, but that is what Harry wants him to do."

"Then on the whole you will be rather glad if he decides to leave King's Holm."

"No; I am very fond of this county, and I had much rather stay here. On my own account, of course, mean; but I shall not advise papa to stay." "Shall you advise him to go ?"

I

"I had much rather not advise him at all, and I daresay he will not need advice, for he is sure to consult Harry. Papa never does anything important without consulting him since Margaret went."

66

But, Rhoda, you will of course have to give an opinion on such a subject, and I do hope you will beg papa to remain here.”

"Do you?" said Rhoda, in a tone of surprise. "Yes; why are you surprised?"

"I thought, of course, you would wish us to move for Bessie's sake."

"But Dr. Lowe has not said anything about it, has he ?"

"No; only I believe papa thinks it might do her good. But why do you wish us to stay here?"

"Because if you go to live in Devonshire or Cornwall, you will be so very far from London, and I shall never see you when I am there; besides, I don't think you would be happy in an entirely new country, where you know nobody, and nobody knows you."

"I certainly should not like it much," said Rhoda. "But I fancy we shall go, notwithstanding, so then you may pity me if you like."

“Well, if it really is to do Bessie good I shall not pity you, because I know that hope will make you quite happy."

"Would it make you quite happy then?" said Rhoda, quaintly imitating her sister's tone.

Why, Rhoda, how odd you are; of course I should be very happy to see her well and strong."

be

"Yes, but you said quite happy. Now one may very happy that one's sisters are in good health, and yet not be quite happy in every possible way, that's what I feel about it."

Rhoda was not in the habit of saying very new or striking things, and certainly this speech was neither new nor striking, yet, of all the conversations the sisters had together this was the one that most frequently recurred to Minna's memory in after days.

CHAPTER XII.

EASTER.

The flower is but a little thing,
It perfumes all the gales of spring;
God feeds it with His dewdrops bright.
And never yet the heart has beat
Too poor, too lowly, too unmeet
To do its proper part aright;

Nor hand has been too weak, too small
To work for Him who works for all.

Baron's Little Daughter.

Time on my brow hath set his seal;
I start to find myself a man,
And know that I no more shall feel
As only boyhood's spirit can.

THE fortnight soon passed away.

MOULTRIE.

Lady Fortrose had joyfully hailed Minna's proposal to return with Miss Forbes, and Mr. Raymond was only too thankful to have been able to keep her so long. It was also arranged that if Lady Fortrose came to London after Easter, and brought Winifred, Minna should then pay another visit to King's Holm, as she could not go out in London this year.

Great were the rejoicings at Minna's return to Pentyre, and it was well that she had not deferred it longer, as she would in that case have missed seeing some of her friends.

Lady Elizabeth was gone, and Lady St. Melion was

intending to start for Italy at the end of the month. Anne was delighted at the idea of returning to her father, but would have been very sorry to leave Pentyre without seeing Minna again. Beatrice was to remain with Lady Fortrose, who intended to take her to London after Easter. But of all who welcomed Minna home again, no one was more really happy than

Winifred.

"Oh, Minna! how I have missed you! All day, and every day; yes, even while Miss Forbes was here, but still more after she went, because when I have no lessons to do I have so much time for seeing you, and the holidays seemed quite wasted this time. But really I think Anne missed you nearly as much as I did ;" and then came a long account of what they had all been doing, and all that had gone on since Minna left, with a faithful report of the many times that everybody had said "I wish Minna were here." All of which was as pleasant for Minna to hear as for Winifred to repeat, perhaps even more pleasant, for is not the feeling of being loved and missed singularly delightful?

Minna and her aunt had a long talk together in the sitting-room, which was the best place for an uninterrupted conversation with Lady Fortrose. All that had passed at King's Holm was most interesting to her, and she was deeply touched when Minna related her mother's question about the happy life.

"Thank God, indeed, my darling," said Lady Fortrose, "that you were able to give such an answer."

Minna felt very sad when she spoke of Rhoda and Bessie, and their desolate position; Lady Fortrose was full of sympathy for them, and expressed a hope of