"Elsli, Nora loved you, and you loved her. You shall stay with me
always"; and they all three wept together, but there was healing in the
tears.

Like one in a dream Elsli went home that day. She understood, but not
wholly, what had happened. She had believed that Nora would ask her
heavenly Father to call her to heaven, and would come herself to meet
her; and now it seemed as if she had already come to meet her to lead
her elsewhere than to heaven.

Clarissa went to make the arrangements with Marget, about which there
was no difficulty whatever. For as soon as Marget understood that not
only was Elsli to be provided with a home for life, but that the help
which she might have afforded her parents as she grew older was to be
made good to them, she was overjoyed. She said that Elsli was not fit
for hard work, and that the care of the little boys was quite beyond
her, especially since Hans was growing more and more troublesome. So she
gladly agreed to let her go, with the understanding that she should
return home at least once a year for a visit.

In an incredibly short time the whole village was in possession of the
news that the wealthy Mrs. Stanhope had offered to take Elsli home with
her, and to keep her as her own child always; and that they were to
start for the villa on the Rhine the very next day. The excitement
produced by this news was intense. Wherever two neighbors met on the
road, they stopped to talk over the good-luck that had happened to
Elsli. In the school, the children could not keep quiet, so great was
their interest in the event. Even Mr. Bickel was moved to make an
unheard-of effort He took his big stick in his hand, saying:--