The young girl shot a smiling glance at the woman as she spoke, and the woman’s face beamed with pleasure at this tribute to her skill. “Bless you, child!” Mr. Rosevelt said, as he unfolded his napkin and drew nearer the table; “the sight of your bright face and the smell of your berries have given me an appetite already. Sit down, sit down; my tea will taste ten per cent. better to be poured by your fair hands, and while we eat you shall tell me how it has fared with you during the past year. I see it has not changed _you_ at heart; you are the same as when we parted, and you were as ready as ever last night to sacrifice your own comfort for a poor old man.” Star blushed. She felt almost as guilty, knowing that there had been room for him at the house, as if _she_ had been the one to turn him away. “I knew these rooms were low and close, while my room, although rather high up, was much more airy; besides, you looked too tired and ill to walk way down here,” Star explained, with some embarrassment. “Your own is rather high up, is it? How high?” he asked, giving her a keen glance. “It is in the third story,” she answered, flushing again. “Ah! one _would_ be apt to get good air in that latitude,” said Mr. Rosevelt, dryly. “Now tell me,” he added, “what you have been doing since I saw you.” Star gave him an account of her life at school, omitting for several reasons to speak of the fate which had been intended for her, and said just as little as she could in connection with Mrs. Richards and her haughty daughter, or their treatment of her. She told him of her music, of the books she had read, and what her plans for the future were when she should graduate at the end of another year. She spent more than an hour with him, and when at length she left him, he was apparently much cheered and a good deal better for her visit. She went every morning afterward while her vacation lasted, always taking him something in the way of fruit or flowers, and cheering him with her lively chatting, until he began to look for her coming as the chief event of the day. Sometimes they would wander together through the beautiful grounds of Mr. Richards’ place, or, finding a cozy nook, Star would take some interesting book and read to him; and as the week went by, he appeared to improve in health and to grow more contented with his lot. He continued to remain at the lodge, in spite of the fact that the company had all departed, and there was now plenty of room in the mansion. Mr. Richards had gone West on a prolonged business trip, and, of course, could not use his influence as to any change; while Mrs. Richards appeared to ignore his presence entirely, unless she came upon him unexpectedly, when she would treat him with indifferent politeness.