"Write to me as often as you can, dear. Now that you have commenced regular lessons, you will not have so much spare time. Your letters will always be to me a joy, both to receive and to answer. I rejoice in my stewardship, taking care of this beautiful home for my dear boy. Colonel Mandeville wrote me that your dear father expressed his desire at the last that it should be so; and he himself also wrote a letter which was posted at Gibraltar. It had not yet reached me. I cannot understand it, as the letter from Colonel Mandeville which was evidently posted at the same time, bearing the Gibraltar post-mark, arrived, as you know, before you left. But we know it cannot be lost, although it is long over-due. "Please convey my kind regards to Colonel and Mrs. Mandeville, and to yourself, dear Carol, unnumbered loving thoughts, from COUSIN ALICIA. "_P.S._ How I should like to see the sweet Rosebud and your other cousins!" ―――― A very grave, thoughtful expression deepened on Mrs. Mandeville’s face as she gathered the loose sheets of note paper together, and replaced them in the envelope. "Surely," she said, sotto voce, "if this is what Christian Science teaches, Raymond does not understand the book which he has taken away from Carol." CHAPTER V.--QUIET DAYS. The days which followed were quiet and uneventful, the peaceful, happy days which imperceptibly glide into weeks and months. Carol worked diligently at his lessons. He had so much lost time to make up. Miss Markham was surprised at the progress he made. Whatever tasks she set him he mastered with ease, and never manifested fatigue or weariness. He was still so slight, even fragile, in appearance, she sometimes feared lest she was overtaxing his strength. Once, expressing fear lest this should be so, Carol answered lightly, "It is quite right, Miss Markham, the more work I do, the more I shall be able to do. Cousin Alicia is helping me every day." "Miss Desmond is in Devonshire, Carol, how can she help you?" "I am sorry, Miss Markham, I forgot you do not understand," he said. He had been so perfectly obedient to Miss Desmond’s wishes in never talking about Christian Science, that, excepting Mrs. Mandeville, no one remembered anything about it in connection with the boy. But, gradually, all the household were realizing there was something strangely different about the boy from other children. No one ever heard him complain of an ache or pain. No one ever heard him speak an unkind or angry word; and if, as sometimes, though seldom, amongst the Mandeville children, little dissensions or bickerings arose, if Carol was near, they passed as a ripple on water, and all was harmony and peace again.