garden abounded with fruit and flowers and vegetables, and there
were also many bee-hives; behind the house were several sheds and other
buildings, and a pen for sheep.

"This house was the property of a family which had resided there longer
than the history of the village could tell. The name was Stolberg, and
the family, though they had never been rich, had never sought help from
others, and were highly respected by all who knew them.

"At the time of this history the household consisted of the venerable
mother, Monique Stolberg, her son Martin, a widower, and the three
children of Martin; Ella, Jacques, and Margot.

"Ella was not yet fourteen; she was a tall girl of her age, and had
been brought up with the greatest care by her grandmother, though made
to put her hand to everything required in her station. Ella was spoken
of as the best-behaved, most modest, and altogether the finest and
fairest of all the girls in the valley.

"Heister Kamp said that she was as proud and lofty as the eagle of the
hills. But Ella was not proud; she was only modest and retiring, and
said little to strangers.

"Jacques was some years younger than Ella; he loved his parents and
sisters, and would do anything for them in his power; but he was hot
and hasty, especially to those he did not love.

"Margot was still a little plump, smiling, chattering, child, almost a
baby in her ways; but everyone loved her, for she was as a pet lamb,
under the eye of the shepherd.

"Monique had received her, before she could walk, from her dying
mother, and she had reared her with the tenderest care.

"As to Martin, more need not be said of him but that the wish to please
God was ever present with him. He had been the best of sons; and, when
his wife died, he was rewarded for his filial piety by the care which
his mother took of his children and his house.

"Monique had had one other child besides Martin; a daughter, who had
married and gone over the hills with her husband into France; but her
marriage had proved unfortunate. She had resided at Vienne, in the
south of France, and there she had left one child, Meeta, a girl of
about the age of Ella.

"When Martin heard of the death of his sister, and the forlorn state of
the orphan, he set himself to go to Vienne; it was winter-time, and he
rode to the place on a little mountain pony which he had; but he walked
back nearly the whole way, having set Meeta, with her bundle, on the
horse.

"Every