A wan smile played over the lovely face, as Mrs. Legrange, laying her hand upon the boy's, said kindly,-- "If she is not found before then, Teddy, I shall not be here to know it." Then going to the drawer, still standing open, she said,-- "May I have some of these little things, Mrs. Ginniss; not all,--for I know that you love them too,--but some of them?" So Mrs. Ginniss made a package of the relics; and Teddy asked and obtained the privilege of carrying it home for his new friend, while James stalked discontentedly behind. Upon the way, Mrs. Legrange said quietly, "I left a little money in the drawer, Theodore. It is to buy you some new clothes, and whatever else you and your mother need most. And I have just thought of something else. How would your mother like living in the country?" "Very much, ma'am, I think. Her father had a farm in Ireland, and she is mighty fond of telling about it." "Well, Mr. Legrange has recently made me a present of a nice old farmhouse somewhere in the western part of the State, thinking I might like to go there for a few weeks in the summer. It is a lovely place, they say; and, if your mother would like it, she might go there and keep the house for me. A man is going to take care of the farm, and he could board with her." "That would be first-rate, ma'am," said Teddy enthusiastically. "But you're doing too much for us entirely." "You were kind to her, Teddy; and I cannot do too much for you," said Mrs. Legrange, lowering her veil. CHAPTER XXVIII. WELCOME HOME. "TIME they was here, ain't it, miss?" asked Mehitable Ross, wiping the flour from her bare arms, and coming out upon the step of the door. "Yes," said Dora: "I expect them every moment. Is tea all ready?" "All but the short-cakes. I hain't put them down to bake yet, because they're best when they're first done. But the cold meat is sliced, and the strawberries dished, and the johnny-cake a-baking." "Well, keep them all as nice as you can; and I will walk out a little, and meet the wagon." "Take Argus along, you'd better, case you should meet one of them tiger-cats Silas told on." Dora smiled, but called, "Argus!" and at the word a great hound came leaping from one of the out-buildings, and fawned upon his young mistress; then, with stately step and uplifted head, followed her along the faint track worn by the wheels of the ox-cart in the short, sweet grass of the prairie. The young girl walked slowly, and, at the distance of some rods from the house, stopped, and, leaning against the stem of a great chestnut-tree, stood looking earnestly down the path as it wound into the forest, and out of sight. Then her eyes turned slowly back, and lingered with a strange and solemn joy upon the scene she had just left; while from her full heart came one whispered word that told the whole story of her emotion,-- "Home!"