"You cannot imagine, dear brother, how delighted Madeline was with the baskets--'did he gather them with his own hands, Effie?' she used to ask me day after day, and I saw her place a few of the ferns which I had saved, away in one of her school books. 'Thank Roland for me,' was her last message; 'tell him I expect to see him a great man, delivering orations, or public speeches, at any rate, at Maple Lane, yet.'" Roland smiled, as he said, "The same little enthusiast yet." "Little! brother! why, you forget, you have not seen Madeline for two years; she is no longer a little girl; she is fifteen now, and unusually tall for that age. I don't believe that you would call her Maddy now." Roland's countenance fell; for this innocent hint had brought again most forcibly the conviction that the approach of womanhood was building a gulf which could not be passed, and the sweet intimacy of playful childhood could be no more renewed. His third year at college was a season of rapid progress. On his return, Dr. Kingsley sent for Roland to his private room. "You have been well tried, my son," said the good man. "I have looked upon your course, Roland, with pride; shall I say it to a boy? with reverence. Not one of fifty would have borne the indignities of your position, and risen above them all, as you have; you shall be rewarded. The offices which you have performed so nobly will be given to another, little Jack, the Janitor's nephew, and another boy hired for the purpose; you, Roland, shall have all your time for study." Roland was a manly boy, but with a warm, tender heart. His eyes filled with tears of gratitude. Seizing Dr. Kingsley's hand, he pressed a warm kiss upon its wrinkled surface, and said, "Words cannot thank you, Dr. Kingsley, for all your goodness; the training of this college is more than a fortune to me." "You must not lavish all your thanks upon me, Roland. Edmund Norris has told me all your trials, all the insults which you formerly received; he has told me of all your patient endurance, and noble return of good for evil. Mrs. Norris is wealthy, she has offered to place you exactly by the side of her son, bearing all your expenses, and occupying the same room. I judged you by myself, and thought that you would rather be indebted to the college. You will occupy the room with Edmund; but we must have the honor of educating Roland Bruce." "You will be repaid, my dear sir, for all your kindness and delicacy. Oh! how faithful are the promises of God: 'Looking aloft' was the motto which my dear mother left me on her death-bed; I have tried to act upon it; and endeavoring to do my duty, have looked upward for God's blessing, and have never been disappointed." Dr. Kingsley straitened himself up, put on a sterner look, took off his spectacles, that seemed suddenly to become moistened, and jerking his handkerchief out of his pocket, blew his nose violently, saying,