ely to be! Phoebe buried her face in
her hands, and did not see that some one had come in by a ruined window,
and was standing close beside her on the grass.

"Mrs Phoebe, I owe you thanks unutterable," said a voice that Phoebe
knew only too well.

Phoebe sprang up. "Have you seen her, Mr Derwent?"

"I have seen no one but you," said he, gravely.

They walked up to the house together, but there Phoebe left him and
sought refuge in her bed-chamber.

"Phoebe, my dear, are you here?" said Mrs Latrobe, entering the room
half an hour later. "Child, did you not hear me call? I could not
think where you were, and I wished to have you come down. Why, only
think!--all is changed about Rhoda, and she will not go to Lady Kitty.
I am a little chagrined, I confess, on your account, my dear; however,
it may be all for the best. 'Tis that same Mr Derwent I had heard of,
and thought to obtain for you. Well! I am very pleased for Rhoda; 'tis
quite as good, or better, than any thing she could expect; and I shall
easily meet with something else for you. So now, my dear Phoebe, when
she is married, and all settled--for of course, now, I shall let her
stay till she marries--then, child, the coast will be clear for you. By
the way, you did not care any thing for him, I suppose?--and if you had,
you would soon have got over it--all good girls do. Fetch me my
knotting, Phoebe--'tis above in my chamber; or, if you meet Rhoda, send
her."

It was a subject of congratulation to Phoebe that one of Mrs Latrobe's
peculiarities was to ask questions, and assume, without waiting for it,
that the answer was according to her wishes. So she escaped a reply.

But there was one thing yet for Phoebe to bear, even worse than this.

"Phoebe, dear, dear Phoebe! I am so happy!" and Rhoda twined her arms
round her cousin, and hid her bright face on Phoebe's shoulder. "He
says he has loved me ever since we were at Delawarr. And I think I must
have loved him, just a little bit, without knowing it, or I could not
love him so much all at once now. I was trying very hard to make up my
mind to Lady Kitty's service--that seemed to be what God had ordered for
me; and I did ask Him, Phoebe, to give me patience, and make me willing
to do His will. And only think--all the while He was preparing this for
me! And I don't think, Phoebe, I should have cared for that--you know
what I mean--but for you--the patient, loving way you bore with me; and
I hav