had time to realize it--I shall no doubt be
glad of this--this projected change. You see"--she paused, and seemed to
seek for a word,--"you see, dear, it has always been Victor's house to
me. I never--I should not have thought of making use of it, like another
house. It is doubtless--much better. In fact, I am sure of it. It has
come to me very strongly that Victor would like it, that it would please
him extremely. And now I blame myself for never having thought of such a
thing before. So, my dear," she added, bending forward to kiss
Hildegarde's forehead, "besides the blessings of the sick children, you
will win one from me, and--who knows?--perhaps one from a voice we
cannot hear."

The girl was too much moved to speak, and they were silent for a while.

"And now," Miss Wealthy said very cheerfully, "it is bedtime for you,
and for me too. But before you go, I want to give you a little trinket
that I had when I was just your age. My grandmother gave it to me; and
though I am not exactly your grandmother, I am the next thing to it.
Open that little cupboard, if you please, and bring me a small red
morocco box which you will find on the second shelf, in the right-hand
corner. There is a brown pill-box next to it; do you find it, my love?"

Hildegarde brought the box, and on being told to open it, found a
bracelet of black velvet, on which was sewed a garland of miniature
flowers, white roses and forget-me-nots, wrought in exquisite enamel.

"I thought of it," said the old lady, as Hildegarde bent over the pretty
trinket in wondering delight, "when I saw your forget-me-not room last
winter. The clasp, you see, is a turquoise; I believe, rather a fine
one. My grandfather brought it from Constantinople. A pretty thing; it
will look well on your arm. The Bonds all have good arms, which is a
privilege. Good-night, dear child! Sleep well, and be ready to elaborate
your great scheme to-morrow."

CHAPTER XVI.

THE WIDOW BRETT.

So it came to pass that at the breakfast-table next morning no one was
so bright and gay as Miss Wealthy. She was full of the new plan, and
made one suggestion after another.

"The first thing," she said, "is to find a good housekeeper. There is
nothing more important, especially where children are concerned. Now, I
have thought of precisely the right person,--pre-cisely!" she added,
sipping her tea with an air of great content. "Martha, your cousin
Cynthia Brett is the very woman for th