cup at once, for I am
very tired."

Anne gazed at her mistress in open-eyed astonishment. Any one--any one
as poor as she well knew missis to be--who could take the fact of being
cousin to so beautiful and rich a young lady with such coolness and
apparent indifference quite passed Anne's powers of comprehension.

"It beats me holler--that it do!" she said to herself; then, with a
start, she ran off to her kitchen.

Mrs. Home had taken her first cup of tea, and had even eaten a piece of
bread and butter, before she again drew Charlotte Harman's little note
out of her pocket. This is what her eyes had already briefly glanced
over:--

DEAR FRIEND AND SISTER--for you must let me call you so--I have
come to see you, and finding you out asked to see your children. I
have lost my heart to your beautiful and lovely children. They are
very sweet! Your baby is more like an angel than any earthly
creature my eyes have ever rested on. Charlotte, I brought your
children a few toys, and one or two other little things. You won't
be too proud to accept them. When I bought them I did not love your
children, but I loved you. You are my near kinswoman. You won't
take away the pleasure I felt when I bought those things. Dear
Sister Charlotte, when shall we meet again? Send me a line, and I
will come to you at any time. Yours,

"CHARLOTTE HARMAN."

It is to be regretted that Charlotte Home by no means received this
sweet and loving little note in the spirit in which it was written. Her
pale, thin face flushed, and her eyes burnt with an angry light. This
burst of excited feeling was but the outcome of all she had undergone
mentally since she had left Miss Harman's house a few days ago. She had
said then, and truly, that she loved this young lady. The pride, the
stately bearing, the very look of open frankness in Charlotte's eyes had
warmed and touched her heart. She had not meant to tell to those ears,
so unaccustomed to sin and shame, this tale of long-past wrong. It had
been in a manner forced from her, and she had seen a flush of
perplexity, then of horror, color the cheeks and fill the fine brave
eyes. She had come away with her heart sympathies so moved by this girl,
so touched, so shocked with what she herself had revealed, that she
would almost rather, could her father's money now be hers, relinquish
it, than cause any further pain or shame to Charlotte Harman.

Sh