girl had mentioned her mother's name to her. Indeed she did not know that she had ever heard of her at all-ever known that she had had a mother; but the servants had talked, and the child's curiosity was aroused. The dead mother is as much a matter of wondering inquiry as the angels and the stars; and Fina's imagination was beginning to bestir itself on the mysteries of childish life. "I have nothing to tell you about her," said Leam, controlling herself though she still shivered. "Yes you have, everything," insisted Fina. playing with a corner of her sister's ribbon. "People said so," answered Leam. "As pretty as Cousin Addy?" she asked. 66 "Was mamma pretty?" About," said Leam, who thought neither supreme. “Prettier than you?" "I don't know-how can I tell?" she answered a little impatiently.. The mother's blood that ran in her, the mother's mould in which she had been formed, forbad her to put herself below Madame in anything; but as she was neither vain nor conscious she found Fina's question difficult to answer. "Oh!" cried Fina, in a tone of disappointment. not have been very pretty." "Then she could "I daresay she was, but I do not know," returned Leam. "And she died?" continued Fina, yawning in a childishly indifferent manner. "Yes; she died." "Why? Who killed her? Did papa?" asked Fina. Leam's face was very white. "No, not papa." "Did God?" "I cannot tell you, Fina," said Leam, to whom falsehoods were abhorrent and the truth impossible. "Did you?" persisted Fina, with childish obstinacy. "Now go," said Leam, putting her off her lap and rising from her chair in strange disorder. "You are troublesome and ask too many questions." Fina began to cry loudly, and Mr. Dundas, from his library below, heard her. He came upstairs with his fussy, restless kindness, and opened the door of the room where his two daughters, of nature and by adoption, were standing, hostile and disturbed. "What's the matter, "Hey day, what's all this about?" he cried. my little Fina? what are you crying for? Tut, tut-you should not cry like this, darling-and Leam," severely, "you should really keep the child better amused and happy! She is as good as gold with me-with you there is always something wrong." Fina ran into his arms, sobbing. "Leam is cross," she said. "She will not tell me who killed mamma!" The man's ruddy face, reddened and roughened with travel, grew white and pitiful. he said with a sob. "God took her away, my darling! "She was too good for me, and he took her to live with the angels in heaven." "And Leam's mamma-is she in heaven too with the angels?" asked Fina, opening her eyes wide through their tears. "I hope so," Sebastian answered in an altered voice. Leam covered her face in her hands; then lifting it up, she said, imploringly, "Papa! do not talk to her of mamma! It is sacrilege!" "I agree with you, Leam," said Mr. Dundas in a steady voice. "We meet at the same point, but perhaps by different methods." |