ug and any amount of extravagant kisses, not
daring to look at Louisa the while.

"This is indeed a hearty welcome, my dear!" exclaimed Miss Rogers.
"Stand off, child," she added, holding Sally at arm's-length, "until I
get a good look at you."

And she gazed long and steadily.

Sally could not tell whether Miss Rogers was pleased or disappointed
with her, as her face never expressed her emotions.

"I will call you and your sister my nieces; but you are not so nearly
related to me as that---the line of relationship is a long way off.
There are many others as near to me as your family."

"But none who love you anywhere near as well," put in Sally, quickly.

"I hope you mean what you say," replied Miss Rogers, quietly; adding,
after a moment's pause, during which she wiped a suspicious moisture
from her eyes: "I am a very lonely woman, and life offers few charms for
me, because I am quite alone in the world, with no one to care for me. I
have often thought that I would give the whole world, if it were mine to
give, for just one human being to whom I was dear. I am desolate; my
heart hungers for sympathy and kindness, and--and a little affection. I
have neither father nor mother, sister nor brother, husband nor
children. I hope neither of you girls will ever experience the
hopelessness, the heartache conveyed in those words. It is hard,
bitterly cruel, to be left alone in the world. But I suppose Heaven
intended it to be so, and--and knows best."

"You shall never know loneliness again, dear aunt," murmured Louisa. "To
make every moment of your life happy will be our only aim."

"Thank you, my dear," replied Miss Rogers, tremulously.

"You shall live with us always, if you will, aunt," said Sally, "and be
one of the family. You may have my _boudoir_ all to yourself, and I will
take the small spare room next to it."

"You are very good to me," said Miss Rogers, huskily.

Mrs. Pendleton had been busy getting the handsome guest-chamber ready
for their wealthy kinswoman. She entered just in time to overhear
Sally's last remark.

"Miss Rogers shall have a larger, handsomer _boudoir_ than yours,
Sally," remarked her mother. "The entire suite of rooms on this floor is
at her disposal, if she will only allow us to persuade her to remain
with us. My dear daughters, you must add your entreaties on this point
to your father's and mine."

"How can I ever repay you for your deep interest in a lone body like
me?" murmure