tice_."

Still Mary hesitated about accepting the valuable gift, and turned with
streaming eyes towards the minister, as if to ask his advice.

"Yes, Mary," said the venerable man, "you must keep the ring. You see,
my good child, how God is blessing your filial piety; for whosoever
sincerely honours his parents shall be better for it. Take the valuable
present with gratitude, and as adversity found you resigned to the
Divine will, so in prosperity show yourself grateful to your heavenly
Father--grateful to His dear name, benevolent and kind."

Mary put the ring on her finger and attempted to express her thanks,
but tears checked her utterance, and were thus the best expression of
her gratitude. Amelia, who sat by her with the basket of flowers in her
hand, was delighted with the generous proceedings of her parents. Her
eyes shone with affection for Mary; and the minister, who had often
observed how envious children generally are when their parents exercise
their benevolence towards other people, was deeply touched by this
disinterested love of Amelia. "May God," said he, "reward the
generosity of the Count and Countess. May all that they have done for
the poor orphan be rendered to them a hundredfold in the person of
their own dear daughter!"

CHAPTER XVIII.

PINE FARM REVISITED.

The Count and his family were just on the eve of leaving for Eichbourg,
and next morning at break of day all was bustle in the castle,
preparing for their departure. In the midst of all the preparations,
however, Mary was not forgotten, and each one vied with the other in
the attentions they paid to her.

Mary's clothes, which she had bought during her residence at Pine Farm,
were made of the coarsest material and of the plainest cut. But one of
Amelia's friends, a young lady of the same age and size as Mary, at
Amelia's request presented Mary with a complete outfit, which, without
being extravagant, was more in keeping with her new situation. In
answer to Mary's modest protest against donning what seemed to her,
extravagantly grand garments, Amelia said, "You are my friend; you are
henceforth to be my companion; you are also to live with me. You ought
therefore to dress yourself differently from a farm servant."

After breakfast they started on their journey homeward, and Mary sat
beside Amelia in the carriage, with the Count and Countess opposite.
First of all, however, the Count gave orders for the coachman to drive
them t