"I can try," she said with a look of delight; "for oh, but it would be pleasant to have a home with my dear, kind old kinsman."

"And so near to us, Marian. I hope you are as glad of that as I am," exclaimed Lulu.

66

Oh, yes, yes, indeed!” cried Marian. “I hope there will be seldom a day when we shall not see each other; for you are like a sister to me."

"And you will come here to recite every school day, I hope," said the captain, "for I do not want to lose so painstaking, industrious, and promising a pupil."

"Nor I so good and kind a teacher," responded Marian, looking her thanks.

"I am much pleased with the place and its near vicinity to this one, the home of kind and congenial relatives," remarked Hugh Lilburn, "but as yet we are not entirely sure of securing it. You know the old saying, 'There's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip.

"Very true, laddie," said his father, "yet in this case I feel little apprehension of failure." "Do you not like the house, Cousin Hugh?" asked Marian.

"It suits me nicely," he think you can hardly fail grounds too are to my taste.

replied, “and I to like it. The I think if we are

successful in securing it, it will make us a de. lightful home."

By the next evening he was able to say they had secured it, and would get possession in a fortnight. Marian and Lulu were full of delight, and indeed every one seemed much pleased. "Will you move in as soon as the other folks are out, Cousin Ronald?" asked Grace.

"However,

"We hope to do so," he replied. we shall need to do some furnishing first. This is Saturday evening: Cousin Vi, do you think you and your mother could go with us to the city next Monday and help us make our selection?"

66

'Yes, indeed; I shall be delighted to do so, and I have no doubt mamma will gladly accompany us. Marian is to be one of the party,

I suppose?"

"Oh, yes, if the captain will give her leave of absence for a few hours?"

"Certainly, for an occasion so important," the captain said pleasantly.

"If it were holiday time Lulu too should be invited to accompany us," remarked Mr. Lilburn, "and I hope there will be another time when she can."

"Thank you, sir, I should be glad to go along if it were not that I know papa wants me to stay at home and attend to lessons; and I don't want to miss them, as our holidays will soon begin."

"That's right, lassie," he said; "make good use of your fine opportunities, and learn all you can in these young days that you may be the better prepared for usefulness in future years."

"Yes, sir; that is just what papa often says to us," replied Lulu, with a loving smile up into her father's face; "and I've found out that he always knows best about whatever concerns me."

66

"Quite a fortunate discovery for you," returned Mr. Lilburn with a kindly smile, while the captain's look was full of gratified approval. My dear little daughter," he said when he came to bid her good-night in her room, "your willingness to stay at home and attend to lessons instead of going to the city to help Marian with her shopping pleases me very much, because it shows that you have confidence in your father's wisdom and his love for you."

He smoothed her hair caressingly and kissed her as he spoke.

"Thank you for telling me that, you dear papa," she returned, her eyes shining. "I know you love me, and that your requirements are always meant for my good; also that you are very wise and know what is best for your own little girl. Oh, I'm so glad I am your very own!" she added, hugging him with all her strength.

"Not gladder than I am to own you, my darling," he said, repeating his caress. "I should like to give you the pleasure of going were it not that I feel that you have had already more interruptions to your studies than ought really to have been allowed."

"Yes, papa, I believe I have," she returned, "and as I do want to be as well educated as possible, so that I may be very useful if God spares my life, I really do not want you to indulge me more in play-times and holidays than you think best.”

CHAPTER XIV.

THE next day was the Sabbath, and spent as that holy day usually was by our friends at Ion, Woodburn, and by their near kindred on the neighboring estates. To Zoe, rejoicing in her new hope the blessed hope that she was indeed. a child of God and an heir of glory-it was a sweetly solemn and happy day, and to her young husband almost equally so. They attended church in company with the other members of the family and received many kindly greetings and inquiries in regard to the narrow escape of Thursday night.

66

Grace Raymond seemed very thoughtful on the homeward drive. Papa," she asked at length, "do trees often fall suddenly like that one that came so near killing Aunt Zoe and the rest?"

"I think not very often, daughter," he replied. "I have heard of only one other such occurrence. Some years ago, out in Wisconsin, two little girls, sisters, were walking along near the edge of one of those pretty little lakes of