mart,--I know it would comfort
her."

"You see, people haven't thought it was best to praise children. They
rarely did in my day."

"But Uncle Leverett praised Warren and Betty, and always said what Aunt
Elizabeth cooked and did was delightful."

"Foster Leverett was one man out of a thousand. They will all miss him
dreadfully."

Aunt Priscilla would have been amazed to know that Mr. Leverett had been
in the estimation of Miss Recompense an ideal husband. Years ago she had
compared other men with him and found them wanting.

Uncle Win was much surprised to find them sitting there talking when he
came home, for it was ten o'clock. Cary returned shortly after, and the
two men retired to the study. But there was a curious half-dread of some
intangible influence that kept Doris awake a long while. The wind moaned
outside and now and then raised to a somber gust sweeping across the
wide Common. Oh, how lonely it must be in the old burying ground!

Mr. Leverett's will had been read that evening. The business was left to
Warren, as Hollis had most of his share years before. To the married
daughters a small remembrance, to Betty and her mother the house in
Sudbury Street, to be kept or sold as they should elect; if sold, they
were to share equally.

Mrs. King was very well satisfied. In the present state of affairs
Warren's part was very uncertain, and his married sisters were to be
paid out of that. The building was old, and though the lot was in a good
business location, the value at that time was not great.

"It seems to me the estate ought to be worth more," said Mrs. Manning.
"I did suppose father was quite well off, and had considerable ready
money."

"So he did two years ago," answered Warren. "But it has been spent in
the effort to keep afloat. If the times should ever get better----"

"You'll pull through," said Hollis encouragingly.

He had not suffered so much from the hard times, and was prospering.

The will had been remade six months before, after a good deal of
consideration.

When Mrs. King went home, a few days after, she said privately to
Warren: "Do not trouble about my legacy, and if you come to hard places
I am sure Matt will help you out if he possibly can."

Warren thanked her in a broken voice.

Mr. King said nearly the same thing as he grasped the young fellow's
hand.

They were a very lonely household. Of course, Betty could not think of
going away. And now that they knew what a st