ked_," thought Jeanne to herself again, though she
was far too well brought up a little French girl to contradict her
father by saying so.

"Perhaps so, dear papa," was all she said.

But her parents still looked a little uneasy.

"She cannot be quite well," said her mother. "She must be feverish. I
must tell Marcelline to make her a little tisane when she goes to bed."

"Ah, bah!" said Jeanne's white-headed papa. "What we were speaking of
will be a much better cure than tisane. She needs companionship of her
own age."

Jeanne pricked up her ears at this, and glanced at her mother
inquiringly. Instantly there started into her mind Marcelline's prophecy
about her wish.

"The naughty little Marcelline!" she thought to herself. "She has been
tricking me. I believe she knew something was going to happen. Mamma, my
dear mamma!" she cried, eagerly but respectfully, "have you something to
tell me? Have you had letters, mamma, from the country, where the
little cousin lives?"

Jeanne's mother softly stroked the cheeks, red enough now, of her
excited little daughter.

"Yes, my child," she replied. "I have had a letter. It was for that I
sent for you--to tell you about it. I have a letter from the grandfather
of Hugh, with whom he has lived since his parents died, and he accepts
my invitation. Hugh is to come to live with us, as his mother would have
wished. His grandfather can spare him, for he has other grandchildren,
and we need him, do we not, my Jeanne? My little girl needs a little
brother--and I loved his mother so much," she added in a lower voice.

Jeanne could not speak. Her face was glowing with excitement, her breath
came quick and short, almost, it seemed, as if she were going to cry.
"O, mamma!" was all she could say--"O mamma!" but her mother understood
her.

"And when will he come?" asked Jeanne next.

"Soon, I hope. In a few days; but it depends on the weather greatly. The
snow has stopped the diligences in several places, they say; but his
grandfather writes that he would like Hugh to come soon, as he himself
has to leave home."

"And will he be always with us? Will he do lessons with me, mamma, and
go to the chateau with us in summer, and always be with us?"

"I hope so. For a long time at least. And he will do lessons with you at
first--though when he gets big he will need more teachers, of course."

"He is a year older than I, mamma."

"Yes, he is eight."

"And, mamma," added Jeanne, afte