soon as her sister-in-law was gone, again took the
girl's hand in her own. Poor Susanna was in tears, and indeed there
was enough in her circumstances at the present moment to justify her
in weeping. She had been given over to her new destiny in no joyous
manner.

"Susanna," said Aunt Margaret, with her softest voice, "I'm so glad
you have come to me. I will love you very dearly if you will let me."

The girl came and clustered close against her as she sat on the sofa,
and so contrived as to creep in under her arm. No one had ever crept
in under her arm, or clung close to her before. Such outward signs of
affection as that had never been hers, either to give or to receive.

"My darling," she said, "I will love you so dearly."

Susanna said nothing, not knowing what words would be fitting for
such an occasion, but on hearing her aunt's assurance of affection,
she clung still closer to her, and in this way they became happy
before the evening was over.

This adopted niece was no child when she was thus placed under
her aunt's charge. She was already fifteen, and though she was
young-looking for her age,--having none of that precocious air of
womanhood which some girls have assumed by that time,--she was a
strong healthy well-grown lass, standing stoutly on her legs, with
her head well balanced, with a straight back, and well-formed though
not slender waist. She was sharp about the shoulders and elbows, as
girls are--or should be--at that age; and her face was not formed
into any definite shape of beauty, or its reverse. But her eyes were
bright--as were those of all the Mackenzies--and her mouth was not
the mouth of a fool. If her cheek-bones were a little high, and the
lower part of her face somewhat angular, those peculiarities were
probably not distasteful to the eyes of her aunt.

"You're a Mackenzie all over," said the aunt, speaking with some
little touch of the northern burr in her voice, though she herself
had never known anything of the north.

"That's what mamma's brothers and sisters always tell me. They say I
am Scotchy."

Then Miss Mackenzie kissed the girl again. If Susanna had been sent
to her because she had in her gait and appearance more of the land of
cakes than any of her brothers and sisters, that at any rate should
do her no harm in the estimation of her aunt. Thus in this way they
became friends.

On the following morning Mr Mackenzie came and took them down to the
train.

"I suppose