"Yes," she said, "it would have been queer, and----not at all nice, if we had first been introduced to each other as father and daughter, and told it was our duty to love one another without delay. And then there's another thing. Though, at first, it seemed cruel to you, daddy, that your little girl should have been lost for so many years, when I think how much more--very likely--we shall love one another, than we ever should have done if I had not been lost, and how much happier we shall be together, it seems quite kind of God to have allowed us to be separated for a little while--especially as He found such good friends to take care of me in the meantime." "Cobbler" Horn gently stroked the dark head, which still nestled against his breast. "We at least, little one," he said, "can say that 'all things work together for good.' But now, there are other things that we must talk about. You have come back, Marian, to a very different home from the one you left. Your father was a poor man when you went away; he is a rich one now. Are you glad?" "Oh yes, daddy," she answered, simply, "for your sake, and because I think my daddy is just the best man in the world to have charge of money. And you know," she added, archly, "that, in that respect, your daughter is after your own heart." "I know that well." "You must let me help you more than ever, daddy." She seemed scarcely to have realized the fact that she was heiress to all his wealth. "You shall, my dear," he said, fondly; "but you mustn't forget that all I have will be yours one day." She started violently. "Well now, I declare!" she gasped. "I had scarcely thought of that. I was so glad and thankful to have found my father, that I forgot he had brought me a fortune. Well, daddy, that won't make any difference. We'll still do our best to put all this money to the right use. And, as for my being your heiress--you must understand, sir, that you've got to live for ever; so there's an end of that." She had withdrawn herself from his embrace, and, kneeling back, was looking at him with dancing eyes. "Well, darling," he said, with an indulgent smile, "we must leave that. But there is something else that I must tell you. When I was arranging about the disposal of all this money, in case I should be taken away, I thought of my little Marian; and I had it set down in my will that you were to have everything after me, if you should be found. But, beside that, I directed the lawyers to invest for you the sum of L50,000. But, let me see, I think I must have told you about this at the time." "Of course you did, daddy, the very day you came back from London, just before you went to America!" "So I did. Well, now, Marian, that money is all your own from this time." "Oh, daddy! daddy! How shall I thank you? So I shall be able to do something on my own account now!"