This gentleman having inherited a large fortune in addition to his already handsome estate, resolved to comply with the wishes of his wife, and retire altogether to his beautiful estate in the country. He therefore decided to show his appreciation of the faithful services of his head clerk, by allowing him to purchase the business at a reasonable, or, as his mercantile friends assured him, at a most unreasonable discount. He had thus been the means of creating the fortune of Mr. Tracy, a fortune which had steadily increased, until he was counted among the most prosperous merchants in the city. In consequence of Mr. Edmond's frequent absence in Europe, where he went in search of health for his wife, the benefactor and his protégé had seldom met of late years. But as Mr. Edmond frequently saw Mr. Tracy's name in print, and heard him spoken of as a rising man, especially as he believed his professions of piety to be sincere, he felt no hesitation in leaving his children's property, and, what he valued far more, the cultivation of their hearts, to his guardian care. CHAPTER IV. THE BROTHER AND SISTER. THE hour was sunset, but the high brick walls prevented the two persons seated in a bay-window on one of the main streets of a large city, from enjoying more than a few tints of the gorgeously painted clouds. Helen Josephine and her brother, reunited after a separation of three months, thought but little of this deprivation at the time. The young girl sat on a divan placed within the window, her head resting on her brother's shoulder, her hand closely clasped in his. He had, at her request, been telling her of his studies, the classmates who particularly interested him, the words of kindness and encouragement he had received from his professors, and then they sat silent, communing with their own hearts. At length, with a profound sigh, Helen exclaimed: "Oh, Frank! I find it so hard to keep the resolutions I made by dear papa's couch. My heart is full of hard thoughts. I'm afraid I never can be happy here. Oh, why did God take papa away? I wish, oh, I wish, I had never left Woodbine Cottage, my sweet, 'sweet,' home!" Frank was startled by the depth of feeling displayed in his sister's tone, even more than by the words. Tenderly embracing her, he said soothingly: "You shall tell me all about it, pet. Come, open your heart, and confess all the naughty thoughts you have had." She shuddered, which caused him to add: "Can't you imagine for the time that I am papa, and confess, as you used to, for the sake of a good-night kiss." "Not here! Oh, not here! Take me to Maytown, and let us pass one week near our dear, lost home. Why didn't I realize then what a paradise it was?" "That's a good suggestion," remarked Frank. "We can board with our old nurse, and wander around among the familiar haunts as much as we please, for there are no young people on the place to disturb us. If it is pleasant, we will start to-morrow."