“Harry and I have been to Fernborough. Alice's brother sent us word that Uncle Isaac Pettingill was dead and we went to the funeral. He had no complaint. He was tired out, so Mrs. Maxwell told us, and went to sleep. He left each of Mrs. Maxwell's boys five thousand dollars, and the same amount to Quincy Adams Pettingill. The remainder of his fortune, I don't know how much, is bequeathed to build a free hospital in Fernborough. “There's another good man dead--Deacon Mason,--and his wife has gone to live with her daughter, Mrs. Pettingill. That funny little man, Mr. Stiles, has gone there too. “I saw Mrs. Hawkins, and she said: 'I mos' cried my eyes out when I heerd 'bout that collision at sea, an' what it did. I can't see no sense in them captains bein' so careless and reckless. Tell Miss Alice I wish she'd come home and bring that boy. I want ter see ef he looks like his father.' “I came near forgetting what to me is the most important part of my letter. Harry has been appointed as Quincy's executor in place of Dr. Culver, and, this is the wonderful thing, father has induced Harry to leave Mr. Carter's office and go into his office. He told Harry that they were all getting old and they needed young blood in the firm--but Harry's not in the firm yet. No more this time from your loving, “MAUDE MERRY.” “My letter to Sarah did do some good,” said Aunt Ella triumphantly. “Poor Uncle Ike, I wish I could have been with him. I wonder if I shall ever see Fernborough again?” Aunt Ella did not answer the question as she would have liked to, and Alice went to her room to recall those former happy days which would never come again. Nearly nine years had passed since young Quincy's birth, and Alice was still at Fernborough Hall. She could not leave it now, for Aunt Ella was again a widow. Her mind was troubled about her boy. He had recurrent attacks of throat trouble, and was not strong as she wished him to be. “It's the damp, foggy weather,” said Aunt Ella. “We're too near the water, and this country, beautiful as it is, is not like our bright America.” Dr. Parshefield suggested a trip to the South of France, but Alice declared that was impossible. “Something must be done--now what shall it be?” was Aunt Ella's declaration and inquiry. Then Alice remembered what Maude had said in one of her letters--that young Quincy should be brought up as an American. She spoke to Aunt Ella about the matter, repeating what Maude had written. “Where could we send him?” “The _where_ is not so important” Aunt Ella remarked, “as the _to whom_. Florence and Maude are both out of the question for they have young children of their own who might, or might not, take to an outsider. Quincy's mother would be delighted to have him for he is her son's son, but Boston, with its east winds would be no better than here. Besides, his grandfather would say that he'd raised one family of disobedient children and he wanted a quiet life.”