It was an easy promise to make, and a pleasant promise to keep. "We know so little," said Frederica, as, with Captain Clare, she followed her sister and Miss Agnace up the avenue to the other side of the house. "We had no one to teach us, and at first we did not care to learn," added she humbly. "It was for mama's sake at first--because-- she was going to die--and--she was afraid--" and the tears rushed to her eyes. She hardly ever spoke of her mother to any one but her sisters, and she wondered a little at herself that she should do so now. She wondered less when she looked up and met the kind eyes looking down upon her. "Some day you must tell me more about your mother," said Captain Clare. This was the beginning. After that, while they were at Eastwood, not a day passed in which Captain Clare did not pass an hour with them. When the weather did not allow them to go out of doors, they sat in the library or in one of the deep windows of the hall. The party was variable as to numbers; but Selina was always there, and almost always Miss Agnace. She was never far away from her charge, unless her sisters were with her; and although she would sit with her face averted, apparently absorbed with her work, she never lost a word which Captain Clare said about the truth which she was beginning to love, though she hardly knew it yet. She was never in the way, and because of Selina's blindness it did not seem out of place that she should be constantly with her. Besides, her service was a service of love. She did not listen now as she had done at first to the reading and the talk, that she might detect errors, and warn these children against them. She said little to them now of the "true Church," or its teachings. She only listened, saying to herself, that however at variance with these teachings some things which she heard might seem to be, there could not be any real difference, seeing the same fruits of the Spirit--love, peace, joy--which flourished and showed in the life of many a saint of old, showed fair and sweet in the lives of these children growing so dear to her. So she always listened when she could, and Selina made it easy for her to be near her at such times.