ing she
began her journey, with Mrs. Stanhope and Clarissa, in the large
carriage, along the high road, through the country that lay still in the
dawning light. Suddenly a folded paper, weighted with a small stone,
flew through the air into the carriage window.

"Good-bye, Elsli. I wish I could go with you," cried a voice from the
road-side. It was Fred, who had not been able to finish his work before,
and who had only painted his last snail just in season to throw his now
illustrated list after Elsli.

This last greeting brought the tears to Elsli's eyes. She seemed now
fully to realize that she was leaving home, leaving all who had ever
known and loved her. Clarissa saw it all, and, taking Elsli's hand in
hers, she expressed, by the warm grasp that she gave her, a mother's
sympathy and love.

For the next week the doctor's family were busy talking over and over
all the events of the past few weeks, from the arrival of little Nora to
Elsli's final departure. On the tenth day came a long letter from Elsli,
which gave food for farther conversation. The mother and the aunt and
the four brothers and sisters were all equally impatient to know the
contents. The letter was addressed to Emma, who knew it from its
envelope, opened it out, and exclaimed with delight:--

"It is eight pages long! I will read it aloud to you"

ROSEMOUNT ON THE RHINE, Sept. 28, 18--.

DEAR FRIEND,--Thank you a thousand times for your good advice, for
without it I should never have dared to say a word about Fani.

But I will begin at the beginning and tell you everything as it has
happened. When Fred said good-bye and I drove away from you all, I
had to cry a little! But Aunt Clarissa--this is what I am to call
her always--was very kind, and talked to me, and bade me tell her
everything that troubled me. Mrs. Stanhope shut her eyes and lay
back in the carriage, so still that I thought she was asleep, so I
thought it was a good time to tell Aunt Clarissa all about Fani, as
you advised. She didn't even know that there was such a person, so
I had to tell her everything that had happened, and how long it was
since I had seen him. She said of course I must see him in Basel,
and that we should have plenty of time, as we were not going
farther than that, that day. She said she would go with me to find
him, and that Mrs. Stanhope would be perfectly willing. When we
r