ne away for a little while, thinking
of you all the day; and a letter from India--I won't say how often. Ah, it
was very different when you and I were young! Eh, Daisy?"

"No. I think I was very happy then," said Mrs. Estcourt. "I am sure our
grandfather and grandmother were just as good as any one could be."

"Yes; for you, my dear, I daresay they were; but I was not you, you know.
Well, I'm very glad some times have not to come over again. I suppose
Arthur is feeling that just now."

Mr. Vivyan himself seemed very well contented with his present position,
and Arthur thought so.

"Father," he said presently, "as I have to stay in England, of course I
would rather be with Aunt Daisy than with any one else, and I think this
is a very pretty place indeed. But you don't know how frightfully I wish I
was going to India with you. Don't you wish you could take me, father?"
asked Arthur a little wistfully.

"My dear little boy, I wish it so much, that it is one of the things it
is better not to think about. And then, you know, you must always look on
the bright side of things, and there are plenty of bright sides for you.
Just think of all the bright sides I have been showing you. Now, let us
have some breakfast, or really, auntie, I shall be late."

But before Mrs. Estcourt moved, she said in a very low voice, and as if
she did not think any one else heard her--

"There is not always a bright side to look at." For she was thinking that
all the brightness had been taken away from her life's story. Would not
Arthur's mother have said, "If there is none anywhere else, look to where
the Lord Jesus waits to bless you, saying, 'Your heart shall rejoice;' and
then the light of His love would make the shadiest life shine with a
summer gleaming?"

Arthur's appetite seemed really gone this morning, and his aunt's
attention was too much occupied with anxiety about his father's comfort
for the journey, to notice that he was eating hardly anything; and in the
midst of his trouble the thought came across Arthur's mind that it was a
very good thing he was not hungry, as he felt a great deal too shy to help
himself.

Presently there was the sound of carriage wheels on the gravel outside.
"Now," said Mrs. Estcourt, starting up, "there is the carriage, Ronald; I
knew it would be here before you were ready."

"Well," said Mr. Vivyan quietly, "you know one of us would have to be
ready first, and I would rather the carriage waited for