And please excuse me for interrupting you when you were so busy." "I am never too busy to attend to you, Evelyn," he returned in a kindly tone; "come freely to me whenever you will." Crossing the hall, Evelyn noticed the carriage of an intimate friend of her mother drawn up before the entrance.
"Mrs.Lang must be calling on mamma," she said to herself; and pausing near the half-open parlor door, she saw them sitting side by side on a sofa, conversing in earnest, through subdued tones.
The call proved a long one.

Evelyn waited with what patience she might, vainly trying to interest herself in a book; her thoughts much too full of her own near future to admit of her doing so.
At last Mrs.Lang took her departure, and Evelyn, following her mother into her bedroom, gave a detailed account of her late interview with her uncle.
"Mamma dear, you will go with us, will you not ?" she concluded persuasively.
"No, I shall not!" was the angry rejoinder.

"Spend weeks and months in a dull country place, with no more enlivening society than that of your uncle and aunt?
indeed, no! You will have to choose between them and me; if you love them better than you do your own mother, elect, by all means, to forsake me and go with them." "Mamma," remonstrated poor Evelyn, tears of wounded feeling in her eyes, "it is not a question of loving you or them best, but of obeying my father's dying wish." For a moment Mrs.Leland seemed to be silently musing; then she said, "I withdraw my request, Evelyn.

I have decided upon new plans for myself, and should prefer to have you go with your uncle.

You needn't look hurt, child; I'm sure it is what you have seemed to desire." "Mamma," said the little girl, going up to her, standing by the side of her easy-chair, and gazing down beseechingly into her eyes, "why will you persist in speaking so doubtfully of my love for you?
It hurts me, mamma; it almost breaks my heart; especially now that you are all I have left." "Well there, you need not fret; of course I know you must have some natural affection for your mother," returned Laura carelessly.
"Here, sit down on this stool at my feet, and you shall hear about my change of plans.
"Mrs.Lang called to tell me they are going to Europe--will sail in a fortnight--and to ask me to accompany them; and I have accepted the invitation.