"Oh, do not leave me--I shall die! I shall die!" She lifted me from the floor and attempted to soothe me, but I was not to be pacified. To live without him--never to see him! There would be nothing worth loving in my life after that. "Is it so hard to part with us," she said, smoothing my hair with both hands. I flung my arms around her neck in passionate grief. "Let me go too; oh, take me, take me!" "But we are going to Europe." "Over the sea? I know, I know, take me!" She kissed me again, and seemed thoughtful. My heart rose: I began to plead with hope. She listened tenderly; told me not to cry, and left me in a state of suspense hard to bear. An hour after this I saw her walking in the garden with Mr. Lee. She was addressing him with sweet earnestness. He looked smilingly down into her face and seemed to expostulate against something that she was urging. At last he appeared to give way, but shook his head and threatened her with his finger, which she answered by tossing the ripe leaves of an autumn rose in his face. As he shook them laughingly away, his eyes fell on me where I leaned from the window, and he made a sign for me to come down. Breathless, and wild with anxiety, I ran down to the garden and stood beside him, panting for breath, eager to speak, and yet afraid. "Well, little lady," he said, holding out a hand; "you are determined that we shall not leave you behind." "It would kill me," I murmured, striving to read my fate in his eyes. "But we shall be gone from home a long time." "My home is where--where she is," I answered. Why did I hesitate to include him. I think he noticed it, for he said, laughing, "Then you care everything for her, nothing for me?" I burst into tears and cried out in my trouble, "Oh, you are cruel to me; you laugh when I am so unhappy." "But no one shall be made so unhappy when--when--" Here Miss Olmsly broke off what she had begun to say, and flushed like the rose she had just torn to pieces. "When we are married; that is what she will not say, sweetheart," broke in Mr. Lee, blushing a little himself; "and if it really will make you unhappy to stay behind, why, there must be some way found by which you can go with us." I caught a deep breath and felt a glow of keen happiness rush up to my face, but no word would leave my lips. "Now, this will make you happy?" questioned Miss Olmsly, looking into my eyes,--I think as much to avoid his, as from a wish to read my joy there. "So happy," I answered. "But we shall be gone a long time and shall travel a great deal, while you must be put to school." This dampened my spirits a little, but I answered, bravely, that I did not mind, so long as there was no ocean between us. Then they informed me that Mr. Olmsly had consented that I should go with them to Paris and remain in school while they travelled. Then he would join us and make new arrangements for the future.