uch fear among them.
Then Mr. Pig was attended to; but it was with much quaking that she
carried the milking-stool into the barn where waited the patient cow.
Never in all her life had she attempted this. Once or twice she had
watched the cowherds at the castle, and she hardly dared to think of
anything now in that dear home. Mooly was very quiet and good, and glad
to be relieved; but poor little Laura's fingers ached when her duty was
ended, and she was very tired by the time she had emptied the milk into
the pans and locked the rock cellar. Then she sat herself down in the
cottage doorway, and had a little homesick cry, and wondered if her
mother was playing on her harp in the great parlor of the castle, and if
she longed to see her little daughter.

The twilight lingered, the stars peeped out, and weary little Laura
still sat, listening to the crickets, watching the fire-flies as they
flashed their tiny lamps in her face, and half humming the refrain of a
song of her mother's which seemed to be in tune to the falling waters of
the cascade. Then to bed, and the sweetest slumber came to the lonely
little maiden.

Thus passed two, three, four days. Laura all alone, busy as a bee,
finding always something to do, gathering berries, arranging flowers,
living like a wild bird on what she could find--for she did not dare try
any cooking. But bread and milk, cheese, and cold chicken-pie, and a
dip into the jelly jars occasionally were very good fare, and the roses
had come into her cheeks and a healthful glitter in her eyes. She was
lonely, but she was not unhappy, and when, to her great surprise, the
Motherkin walked in one evening with Grim hobbling behind, she gave a
great shout of joy, and sprang into the Motherkin's arms.

"Well done, little Laura! Think you I have not known how charmingly you
have kept house for me?"

"How could you, dear Motherkin? and how can you ever forgive me for
running off as I did?"

"Ah! we will let by-gones be by-gones; you have had all the punishment
necessary; now we must see what we can do to entertain our little guest.
Poor Grim has his herbs, but he has also a sprained ankle which we must
nurse. How have you liked being my maid?"

Laura hung her head as she replied: "Truly, I have enjoyed it. Is it
ladylike for me to have done so?"

"Surely it is, and, if you will have the patience to learn, I will make
you proficient in many other homely duties, such as knitting and
spinning."