“Heaven bless you, child!” she said heartily. “I begin to believe there is a soft spot in my heart after all, and you have been the first one to find it.” And Salome was sure there was a suspicious moisture in her eyes as she turned away from her. She never left her after that without bidding her the same affectionate good-night. The lonely girl craved love; it was natural to her to give expression to the tenderness of her own heart; and so, little by little, she twined herself about the affections of this strange woman. Two days before Miss Leonard was to sail she sent for her lawyer, and was closeted with him during the whole forenoon; and when Harriet was summoned after his departure, she found her mistress pale and grave, but with a softer light in her keen eyes than she had ever seen in them before. “Harriet,” she said abruptly, “I’ve made my will to-day, and, if anything happens to me while we are away, the document will be found in the hands of Mr. Travis. If you live longer than I do, you’ll find, my good girl, that I haven’t forgotten you.” “Thank you, marm,” was all that the astonished Harriet could say. She had never dreamed of such a thing as being remembered in her mistress’s will, or that she would ever show any especial appreciation of her services. She gave her fair wages, and they were always promptly paid—more than this she had never expected. CHAPTER XXIX. SALOME LOSES HER VALUED FRIEND. June first found Miss Leonard with her companion and maid upon the briny deep, looking forward with evident pleasure to an extended trip abroad. Fortunately not one of the trio was ill, and the voyage was one of unalloyed enjoyment, for they all loved the sea. To Salome’s great delight Miss Leonard did not make any of her idiosyncrasies disagreeably prominent during the voyage; indeed, she appeared to try to subdue her natural antagonism, and to adapt herself to others, so that she was regarded by the passengers only as a somewhat quaint and original person, whom they rather enjoyed. Salome was of course a general favorite; so gentle and loving a disposition could not fail to win all hearts, while she was kind and helpful, wherever she could be so, to those who suffered from sea-sickness. They landed at Liverpool and proceeded directly to London, where they remained for a couple of weeks, after which they went to Scotland, to a quiet, home-like hotel near Lake Katrine, where they spent two delightful months enjoying the beauties surrounding them, and making many excursions to points of interest.