, Bella."

Mavis hurried home and to bed, to be kept awake for quite two hours by
fears of the unknown perils which might menace the independent course
which she was about to travel.

Breakfast the next morning was a dismal meal. Mavis was genuinely sorry
to leave the old ladies, who had, in a large measure, taken the place
of the parents she had lost.

They, on their part, were conscious of the break that Mavis's departure
would make in their lives. All three women strove to conceal their
distress by an affectation of cheerfulness and appetite. But little was
eaten or drunk. Miss Annie Mee was so absent-minded that she forgot to
spread any butter upon her toast. The old ladies were leaving for
Worthing soon after eleven. Mavis purposed taking leave of them and
Brandenburg College as soon after breakfast as she could get away. When
she rose from the table, Miss Helen Mee said:

"I should like to see you in my study in five minutes from now."

The study was a small-sized room, which was reached by descending two
steps at the end of the hall further from the front door. Mavis
presented herself here at the expiration of the allotted time, where
she found Miss Helen and Miss Annie solemnly seated behind the
book-littered table, which stood in the middle of the room.

"Pray close the door," said Helen.

"Please take a seat," added Annie, when Mavis had obeyed the elder Miss
Mee's behest.

The girl sat down and wondered what was coming. It was some moments
before Helen spoke; she believed that delay would enhance the
impressiveness of the occasion.

"Dear Mavis," she presently began, "before I say a few parting words,
in which my sister most heartily joins, words which are not without a
few hints of kindly admonishment, that may help you along the path you
have--er--elected--yes, elected to pursue, I should like to press on
you parting gifts from my sister and myself."

Here she handed Mavis her treasured copy of The Stones of Venice, which
contained the great Mr Ruskin's autograph, together with a handsomely
bound Bible; this latter was open at the fly-leaf.

"Read," said Helen, as she looked at Mavis over her spectacles.

Mavis read as follows:

"TO DEAR MAVIS, FROM HER FRIEND, HELEN ALLPRESS MEE.

"ARE NOT TWO SPARROWS SOLD FOR A FARTHING? AND ONE OF THEM SHALL NOT
FALL ON THE GROUND WITHOUT YOUR FATHER.

"FEAR YE NOT THEREFORE, YE ARE OF MORE VALUE THAN MANY SPARROWS.--St
Matthew x. 29, 31."

Mavis th