tea at home. I could feel that he was
looking at me very hard, but I don't think we were either of us quite
comfortable till he had thrown his arms round my neck, repeating his old
cry, "Nursey, I'm so glad Sissy's come home!" After that it was all
right, and we chattered away nineteen to the dozen. Dear old nurse! she
was as pleased to see me again as possible. Indeed, I am not sure that
she did not keep me up half an hour later than mamma intended, just
talking to me and "blessing my little heart," in her own loving fashion.
When I went through the night nursery at last to my own little room, I
made her let me stop and look at the little ones; and what a hugging and
kissing she gave me when I declared that they were ever so much prettier
than the Beecham cousins. Dear little Bobby, with his sweet, rosy,
budding mouth, and baby Willie's round cheeks and bright, golden curls,
I can remember just how they looked!

In a day or two we settled down together, and I was quite at home. The
only person who still seemed restless was Jane. For two or three weeks
she was always talking about the Park, and wishing herself back there.
Then, all of a sudden, she grew quite bright and happy, and talked away
to nurse in quite a different way.

I didn't know what it all meant; and especially, I couldn't think why
she was always getting so red when nurse talked about flowers and
plants. At last I found out that Jane was going away altogether; and a
month or two after Christmas, nurse dressed Bobby and me one day, and
took us to church, and mamma took care of baby at home. And at church we
saw Jane with her father and mother, and I whispered to Bobby that the
strange man with them was Mr. Owen, grandmamma's head-gardener, and I
couldn't think how he came to be in our church! But when the service was
all over, nurse took us into the vestry, and told us to go and give Jane
a kiss, because she was Mrs. Owen now, and we must "say something
pretty."

It doesn't seem to do to tell little folks that sort of thing. You
remember, when Jane herself gave me that charge ever so long ago, it
didn't answer, and now there was Bobby crying and sobbing out that "Mr.
Owen shouldn't take Janie away; he was a naughty man; he didn't like
him at all!" But nobody seemed to mind this, indeed they all looked
pleased; and Mr. Owen turned round, and asked me if he should take me
back to Beecham too?

Ah, by this time, I was quite sure, and didn't hesitate at al