song sounding over the sleeping earth.

"Peace and goodwill to men"--peace from weary arguments and
fruitless regret, peace on mourning hearts, on divided homes, on
mariners tossing afar on wintry seas, and peace surely on one
troubled girlish heart that waited for the breaking of a more perfect
day.




CHAPTER XI.

MISS RUTH'S NURSE.


Miss Ruth insisted on giving me a week's holiday, that I might avail
myself of Allan's society; and as dear mother still persisted that I
looked pale and in need of change, Allan gave me a course of bracing
exercise in the shape of long country walks with him and Jack, when
we plowed our way over half-frozen fields and down deep, muddy lanes,
scrambling over gates and through hedges, and returning home laden
with holly berries and bright red hips and haws.

On Allan's last evening we were invited to dine at the Cedars--just
Uncle Geoffrey, Allan, and I. Miss Ruth wrote such a pretty letter.
She said that her brother thought it was a long time since he had
seen his old friend Dr. Cameron, and that he was anxious to make
acquaintance with his nephew and Flurry's playfellow--this was Miss
Ruth's name for me, for we had quite dropped the governess between us.