"In here, dearie! Just step through the window. I'm glad to see you." The windows opening to the floor, it was an easy matter to obey, and the girl did so; then stood silent, her lips quivering, her eyes full. "My child, what is it?" cried the older lady, dropping her duster to take the girl's hand and draw her to a seat upon the sofa, "is--is any one ill?" "No, no; not that, Aunt Wealthy!" and the girl swallowed down her tears and spoke with a determined effort to be calm. "But something has happened and mother delegated me to bring you the news. "You know father has been talking for some time of leaving Lansdale, and this morning, at breakfast, he told us--us children, I mean--he and mother had talked it over last night, and I don't believe she slept much for thinking of it--that he had fully made up his mind to move out to Indiana. And we're to go just as soon as we can get ready. "There, now you know it all!" finishing with a burst of tears in spite of herself. For a moment her listener was dumb with surprise; but it was not in Wealthy Stanhope's nature to witness distress without an effort to comfort and relieve. To lose the society of this family who were her nearest and dearest relatives, would be a great grief to her. The mother, Marcia Keith, the orphan child of a sister, committed to her care in early infancy and trained up by her to a lovely and useful womanhood, was as a daughter to her--her boys and girls as grandchildren to be loved and petted and rejoiced over after the custom of fond grandparents What a lonely old age for her without them! That was her first thought, the next how to assuage the sorrow of the weeping girl at her side. "There, there, Mildred, dear," she said, softly stroking and patting the hand she held, "perhaps you will find it not so bad after all, there must be a bright side to the picture that we shall discover if we look for it determinately. There will be new scenes, perhaps some adventures on the journey." "Yes, auntie, very likely; and I've often wished I could have some adventures!" Mildred answered, dashing away her tears with a rather hysterical little laugh. "You're not going to school to-day?" "No, auntie, no more school for me: that's the hard part of it, for I do so want a good education." "Well, dear, you shall have books, and your father and mother--both educated people--will help you; and who knows but you may in the end distance your mates here? The knowledge we gain by our own efforts, out of school, is often the most serviceable." The girl's face brightened. "If I don't turn out something worth while it shall not be for want of trying," she said, her cheek flushing, her eyes sparkling. Then starting up. "I must hurry home; for mother and I are going to work with might and main at the spring sewing; and then at the tearing up and packing. Aunt Wealthy, I'm glad I'm old enough to be a help; there are so many younger ones, you know."