fortunes. His wife--my
grandmother--died. And he was growing old, and his home was lonely and
his life was dreary. And so he relented toward his poor daughter, and
even toward her husband."

"But too late!" put in Victor.

"Yes; too late. He relented too late," sighed Electra. "He went to New
York, where they had been living when he had last heard of them, and
after making the most diligent inquiries he only learned that they had
been dead several years, and had left an orphan girl in great
destitution. Well, he advertised for the child, offering large rewards
for her discovery."

"But in vain, I suppose?" said Victor.

"Ah, yes, in vain, for I was at Randall's Island, registered under
another name."

"The case seemed hopeless," said Victor.

"Entirely hopeless. And then, partly from his disappointment and partly
from seeing so much of suffering among children, he became a sort of
city missionary. It was in his character of missionary that he went one
day to an examination of the pupils of the girls' school on Randall's
Island. There he saw me, and recognized me by my striking likeness to my
mother. Indeed he has since told me that I am a counterpart of what my
mother was at my age."

"And your face is such a very peculiar and, I may say, unique face, that
the likeness could not have been accidental, I suppose," observed
Victor.

"That is what he thought. Well, without saying a word to me then of his
recognition, he commenced with the slight clew that he had in his hands
and pursued investigations that in a few days proved me to be the child
of Sebastian and Electra Coroni. Then he came to the Island and took me
away, and put me to school at Mount Ascension. There I made the
acquaintance of the young lady friend that I am now staying with. Miss
Cavendish is my cousin. Last month I graduated from Mount Ascension. And
on the first of next month I am going to Beresford Manors, to commence
my new life there as my grandfather's housekeeper. And, Victor--I beg
your pardon!--Mr. Brent, I hope that you will come and visit us there,"
concluded Electra, with a smile.

"But how would your grandfather, Dr. Beresford Jones of Beresford
Manors, take a visit from a poor adventurer like me?" inquired Victor.

"He will take it very kindly; for he also will ask you to come," said
Electra.

Victor bowed and walked on in silence.

Electra spoke again:

"I have told you without reserve how it was that I was so suddenly
ra