to see us, bringing with him any
friend or friends he might choose."

"I am glad you did, papa; they shall have a warm welcome. But will it not
make it necessary for us to return home earlier than we intended?"

"No, not at all, it is not likely they will arrive until near our dinner
hour--if they come at all to-day, and if they should be there earlier,
Violet is quite capable of entertaining them."

"Yes," said Mrs. Dinsmore, "I know of no one more competent to minister to
the enjoyment of either grown people or children. As regards talent,
sweetness of disposition, and utter unselfishness combined, our Vi is one
in a thousand."

"Thank you, mamma, for saying it," Elsie said, her eyes shining with
pleasure. "She seems all that to me; but I thought it might be that
mother love magnified her good qualities and made me blind to her
imperfections."

Violet, in the nursery at home, was showing herself worthy of these
encomiums by her efforts to amuse the little ones and keep them from
missing the dear mother who had been so constantly with them of late. She
played quiet little games with them, told them beautiful stories, showed
them pictures and drew others for them, dressed dolls for Rosie and cut
paper horses for Walter.

Several hours were passed thus, then seeing them begin to look weary--for
they were still weak from their recent illness--she coaxed them to lie
down while she sang them to sleep.

The closed eyes and soft breathing telling that they slept, she rose and
bent over them a moment, gazing tenderly into each little face, then
drawing out her watch and turning to the old nurse, whispered, "It is time
for me to dress for dinner, mammy. I'll go now, but if they wake and want
me let me know at once."

Her toilet was scarcely completed when the sound of wheels caught her
ears.

"There! mamma has come! Dear, dear mamma!" she said half aloud, and
presently hastened from the room to meet and welcome her.

But instead a servant was coming leisurely up the broad stairway.

"Where is mamma, Prilla?" the young girl asked in a slightly disappointed
tone.

"Miss Elsie not come yet, Miss Wilet. De gentlemen is in de drawin'-room,"
Prilla answered, handing two visiting-cards to her young mistress.

"'Donald Keith, U.S.A.,'" read Violet with a brightening countenance, as
she glanced at the first.

On the other was inscribed, "L. Raymond, U.S.N."

Violet hastening to the drawing-room, met her cousin with o