When the old man had drank this he seemed to be revived, for he turned to Em. and said: “Do not let my lucubrations disturb you, child!” At that moment Mrs. Bruce and two other ladies entered the room. Em. looked up, and to her intense amazement caught the eye of her former teacher, Mrs. Templeton. “Why, Emolyn Palmer!” she exclaimed in astonishment equal to Em.’s own. “Is it possible that this is _you_, my dear? Why, how came you to be here?” “I am Mrs. Bruce’s new seamstress,” answered Em. simply. “You are! Well, I knew that she had taken a young girl in the house to sew, and I believe I heard she was the daughter of one Palmer, who was overseer at the Wilderness Manor; but I had no idea that it was _you_, my dear! I am _very_ glad to see you again! And here is Hermia, who will be equally well pleased to meet her old schoolmate,” concluded Mrs. Templeton, as her daughter joined them. “Yes, indeed, I am very happy to see you so unexpectedly, Em.,” cordially exclaimed Miss Templeton, who had developed into a tall, queenly brunette of about nineteen years of age. “And oh! I am _so_ glad and so _very_ much surprised to see you, Miss Hermia,” heartily exclaimed Em., squeezing the offered hand of the young lady. “Why, did you not know that my mother was Commodore Bruce’s only sister? And that when he retired from the navy and settled down here he took her from her school and brought her here to keep house for him?” inquired Hermia, still holding the hand of her little schoolmate. “Oh, I knew, at least I had heard, that Mrs. Templeton had a brother in the navy who had sent her son to the Naval Academy, and afterwards I heard that she had resigned her situation as teacher of the public school, and had gone to live with her brother; but I had not the least suspicion that it was Commodore Bruce!” said Em., still gazing with surprised eyes. “Oh, yes!” said Hermia, laughing. “And here we found my aunt, Mrs. David Bruce, his brother’s widow and her son Ronald. They are not rival queens, although this is but one kingdom and cannot be divided. No; though they are both here, there is no rivalry, and you will soon know the reason,” concluded Hermia as she gave her friend’s hand a hearty squeeze. Mrs. Templeton, who had crossed the room to speak to Mrs. Bruce, now came back to Em., and again expressed her joy in meeting the girl. As for Em., she was bewildered with happiness. Every one spoke gently to her; every one smiled on her. She was received into the family circle more like a dear young relative than as a dependent. But then the girl was so fair and lovely in person and manner that no one could have treated her with coldness or indifference. And as for Ronald Bruce, who looked on all this from the opposite side of the room with the air of a careless spectator, he was really filled with delight at the success of his experiment.