both,--that is what I
am," continued the warm-hearted girl. "I never knew before what was in
my sisters. And now I feel as though I want the whole world to come
and admire my Phillis and Nan!"

"Little flatterer!" but Nan squeezed Dulce's arm affectionately. And
Phillis said, in a joking tone,--

"Ah, it was not half so bad. This evening there was mother looking so
dear and pretty: and there were you girls; and, though the nest is
small, it feels warm and cosy. And if we could only forget Glen
Cottage, and leave off missing the old faces, which I never shall--"
("Nor I," echoed Nan, with a deep sigh, fetched from somewhere)--"and
root ourselves afresh, we should contrive not to be unhappy."

"I think it is our duty to cultivate cheerfulness," added Nan,
seriously; and after this they fell to a discussion on ways and means.
As usual, Phillis was chief spokeswoman, but to Nan belonged the
privilege of the casting vote.

The next few days were weary ones to Mrs. Challoner: there was still
much to be done before the Friary could be pronounced in order. The
girls spent most of the daylight hours unpacking boxes, sorting and
arranging their treasures, and, if the truth must be told, helping
Dorothy to polish furniture and wash glass and china.

Mrs. Challoner, who was not strong enough for these household labors,
found herself condemned to hem new dusters and mend old table-linen,
to the tune of her own sad thoughts. Mr. Drummond found her sorting a
little heap on the parlor table when he dropped in casually one
morning,--this time with some very fine cherries that his sister
thought Mrs. Challoner would enjoy.

When Mr. Drummond began his little speech he could have sworn that
there were tears on the poor lady's cheeks; but when he had finished
she looked up at him with a smile, and thanked him warmly, and then
they had quite a nice chat together.

Mr. Drummond's visit was quite a godsend, she told him, for her girls
were busy and had no time to talk to her; and "one's thoughts are not
always pleasant companions," she added, with a sigh. And Mr. Drummond,
who had caught sight of the tears, was at once sympathetic, and
expressed himself in such feeling terms--for he was more at ease in
the girls' absence--that Mrs. Challoner opened out in the most
confiding way, and told him a great deal that he had been anxious to
learn.

But she soon found out, to her dismay, that he disapproved of her
girls' plans; for he told h