not horrible because in it I
learn to know my dear Marguerite,--after this summer, what do you do?
what is your life?"

"I hope to get a position as teacher," said Margaret. "Then, when I have
earned something, I shall go to the Library School, and learn to be a
librarian; that has been my dream for a long time."

"Your nightmare!" cried Rita. "What dreadful things even to think about,
Marguerite! But it shall not be; never, I tell you! You shall come back
with me to Cuba, and be my sister. I have money--oceans, I believe;
more than I can spend, try as I will. You shall live with me; we will
buy a plantation, orange-groves, sugar-cane,--you shall study
cultivation, I will ride about the plantation--"

"By moonlight?" asked Marguerite mischievously.

"Always by moonlight!" cried Rita. "It shall be always moonlight! Carlos
shall be our intendant, and Fernando--"

"I think Fernando would much better stay in the mountains!" said
Margaret decidedly.

CHAPTER V.

THE PEAT-BOG.

It was a great relief to Margaret to carry her perplexities to Aunt
Faith and talk them over. Mrs. Cheriton's mind and sympathies were as
quick and alert as if she were still a young woman, instead of being
near the rounding of the completed century. She listened with kindly
interest, and her wise and tender words cleared away many of the cobwebs
of anxiety that beset Margaret's sky.

"Let patience have her perfect work!" she was fond of saying. "Neither
of these children is to be led by precept, I think. Make your own ways,
ways of pleasantness as well as paths of peace, and soon or late they
will fall into them. You cannot expect to do much in a week, or two
weeks, or three weeks. Or it may be," she would add, "that you are not
to do it after all; it may be that other things and persons will be
called in. The ordering is wise, but we cannot often understand it, for
it is written in cipher. Do you only the best you can, my child, and
keep your own head steady, and you will find the others settling into
harness before long."

"It distresses me," Margaret said, "to have Rita so rude to the
servants. I cannot speak to her about that, I suppose; but it is really
too bad. Elizabeth is so sensible, I am sure she understands how it all
is; but--well, the gardener, Aunt Faith! John Strong! Why, any one can
see that he is an uncommon man; not the least an ordinary labouring man.
Do you know how much he knows?"

Mrs. Cheriton nodded. "Joh