he stately Mrs. Fairfax sat down, and took Betty upon her
knee; drawing her close to her, till she had the little dark curly head
resting against her shoulder, she bent her head to hers, and said,
almost passionately,--

'God grant you will never know such trouble as mine, little
one--trouble that turns your heart to stone, and blots all heaven from
your sight!'

Betty put her little arms round her neck.

'Old Jenny said I should have it,' she repeated, 'and she told me when
I was in the middle of it to remember, "Be thou faithful unto death"--I
forget the other part.'

There was silence for some moments; then Mrs. Fairfax kissed the
upturned face.

'Now run downstairs, little woman, and find Nesta. I will say good-bye
now, for I shall not see you again.'

Betty obeyed instantly, and when she had gone, for the first time for
many a long month, the sorrowful woman knelt in prayer. 'God help me!'
she cried; 'I have been an unfaithful servant, and have refused to turn
to Thee for comfort.'

The rest of the afternoon was as delightful as the morning to Betty.
She visited the stables and poultry yard; she picked strawberries, and
ate them whilst she picked; she gathered a large nosegay of flowers to
take home to nurse; and then, at four o'clock, she came in to a
delicious little tea in the cool, shady drawing-room. Miss Fairfax was
lying on the sofa there, but she seemed to like to hear the child talk,
and even condescended to allow Prince to come inside to receive a lump
of sugar on his nose, whilst he sat up and begged.

'I've had a lovely day,' said Betty, as Nesta was putting on her hat
upstairs in the bedroom.

'And so have I,' responded Nesta, laughing. 'You have been very good
company, Betty; I shall be quite dull when you are gone.'

'Have you no one to talk to, when I'm not here? Are you an odd one?'

'Perhaps I may be.'

Why don't you make yourself into a couple with some
one, like Prince and me?'

But this made Nesta's soft eyes fill with tears; and Betty felt very
uncomfortable until she was kissed and told she was the funniest little
chatterbox living. The pony carriage came round; and a little later
she was being driven home, rather tired, and very happy, at her day's
outing.

Nesta left her at the gate, and drove silently home. Betty had brought
a good deal of brightness into her life; and though she was always
outwardly so cheery in her manner, her heart was often heavy and sore.
I