tter. Surely she
must have learnt to forgive and forget by this time!"

"Send some of these children away, then. Maude and Jessie can stay; but
it is time the others were getting ready for lessons."

There was a hurried, scrambling finish of the simple breakfast; then a
little troop of boys and girls filed out of the rather shabby
dining-room, and Dr. and Mrs. Harley were alone with their elder
daughters.

"'MY DEAR BROTHER,'" began the doctor,--"'I am
growing an old woman now, and in spite of the good
reasons I had for ceasing to write, or to
communicate with you in any way, I do not feel
that I can keep up the estrangement from my own
flesh and blood any longer.

"'If you like to let bygones be bygones, I, on my
side, am quite willing to do the same. I am
writing, too, because I have heard a good deal, in
one way or another, about your large and expensive
family, and the difficulty you have in making both
ends meet. It has been more than hinted to me that
I ought to render, or at least offer, you some
assistance. I have thought perhaps the best thing
would be to take one of your girls for a six
months' visit; to stay longer, or, indeed, always,
if I should, after such a trial, continue to be
pleased with her.

"'I don't want a young child, but one old enough
to be companionable. Of course I would provide for
education, and everything, so long as she stayed
with me. It would surely be a relief to have even
one of such a number taken off your hands, and it
would be the girl's own fault if the relief were
not made permanent. If this should meet your
views, write at once, and fix a date for one of
your daughters to come to me. Your affectionate
sister,

"'RACHEL HARLEY.'"

"Oh, papa!" exclaimed Maude and Jessie in a breath, "how could we ever
leave you, and dear mamma too! We should be miserable away from home."

"From Aunt Rachel's letter, I should think she must be a dreadfully
stiff sort of person," added audacious Jessie. "Please don't say that we
shall have to go."

"Not so fast, my dear," returned her father. "Only one of you all can
go, and I do not think either you or Maude could