isen in the world; he avails himself of his
success for a nobler, higher, and mightier effort. There some meek
ferns were hiding in a shady nook, away from the sun's piercing
rays.

The young girl felt a twofold joy: that of being alone with nature,
and that of being away from her aunt's house.

At last, she reached "Les Marches." How happy she felt. Not the sort
of home she hoped to have some day; but still, it was home. Her
father was there, as dumb and as severe as usual, but, to her, he
looked quite a nice old man now.

While she was thus engaged in rapturous joy, Mrs. Soher and her
daughter were having a fine time of it. "Ah! she _is_ a well-bred
girl; to interrupt me like that, to answer and lecture me in that
way," said Adele's aunt, then she added: "Fancy that little brat, to
try and give me a lesson about my duty towards my neighbour. If she
has enough to do to look after herself, let her do it; for my part
I'll do as I like. It won't be a young girl who is not yet out of
her teens who is going to teach me how to live."

The daughter scornfully remarked: "She has been to a
boarding-school, you know."

At which the two women laughed and Mr. Soher smiled, while Tom,
profiting by the general interest displayed in the conversation,
slipped out of the room and slouched to the nearest public-house.

After having most unduly run down their departed guest, the two
women resolved never again to invite her.

And they never did.

Had Adele heard their decision, she would have felt even more
cheerful than she now did.

CHAPTER IX.

DECEPTIONS.

On the anniversary of his mother's death, Frank Mathers resolved to
visit her tomb. He had not been before; why, he could not explain.
However, he determined to make up for past deficiencies.
Accordingly, he went with a small bunch of flowers which he placed
upon his mother's tomb. He felt a deep veneration for her. He now
knew more than ever what she had done for him, and, in his heart, he
thanked heaven that had given him such a mother. He could not help
wishing that she were still alive, but he felt happy for all that,
his soul was full of thankfulness.

This visit did him so much good that he thought he would like to go
oftener.

When he came home he was astonished to see his step-mother. She was
in a dreadful fit of jealousy. "The booby," she said to her husband,
so that Frank could hear; "he was not a little attached to his
mother's apron-strings."