he shall have Riversdale on his twenty-first birthday free from
all incumbrance; till then, Mrs. Clair, the home is yours, and I know
how happy Eddie will be with you. As for Bertie, he belongs to me for
the present; he is not to return to Mr. Gregory, and will try how he
likes Murray and Co. instead. Now I wish you all a very merry Christmas
and a glad new year, and welcome back to Riversdale."

It was a long speech for Mr. Murray, especially as they were all
clinging to him, sobbing, laughing, trying in vain to thank him; but he
broke away from them, rushing to the dining-room, where luncheon was
waiting, and laughing heartily at their surprise and pleasure. Then he
installed Mrs. Clair formally as mistress, treated Eddie with a good
deal of consideration as the heir-apparent, and looked at Bertie for
approval.

"I think it is better than waiting till I got rich in Mincing Lane,
sir," he replied, his eyes sparkling. "I don't believe Uncle Gregory's
office is the real road to fortune, after all."

"The Road to Fortune, boy, is honesty and industry, not anybody's
office," Mr. Murray said, gently. "However, you will have a try at mine,
and then, like regular City men, we'll come down from Saturday till
Monday, if they will have us. We can't afford to give up work yet, can
we?"

"No, sir; and I shouldn't care to."

"That's right, Bertie. Work is worship: that's one of Eddie's favourite
author's sayings."

"I've learned the truth of it, Mr. Murray," Eddie said gravely, "and in
future I shall practise it, and, I hope, prove to you that your great
kindness has not been wasted on us. If I had never left Riversdale and
become acquainted with so many troubles and sorrows, I never could feel
as happy as I am now."

And in that happiness we will leave Eddie and Bertie Rivers, trusting
that all who bear adversity so well may find fortune as kind and friends
as true.

THE END.

HEDWIG'S CHRISTMAS PRESENTS.

Supposing you had two brothers and two sisters, a father, a mother, and
no money, how would you get Christmas presents for them all? That is
what Hedwig wanted to know. You see, she was the eldest of the family,
and felt it her duty to look after the others; and in this case it so
happened that looking after them meant getting them Christmas presents.

You can't think what a trouble this was to little Hedwig. The worst of
it was, she couldn't ask her mother's advice. It must be kept a dark
secret. At last t