I shall do for myself very nicely, thank you, sir; and maybe I could lodge with grandfather at Mrs.Thompson's.' 'No,' said Miss Anne, in her gentle voice, the sweetest voice in the world to Stephen, now little Nan's was silent; 'Stephen is my dear friend, and he must let me act the part of a friend towards him.

I wish to send him to live with a good man whom I know, the manager of one of the great works at Netley, where he may learn everything that will be necessary to become my bailiff.

I shall want a true, trustworthy agent to look after my interests here, and in a few years Stephen will be old enough to do this for me.

He shall attend a good school for a few hours daily, to gain a fitting education; and then what servant could I find more faithful, more true, and more loving than my dear friend Stephen?
He can come back here then, if he chooses, and perhaps have Martha for his housekeeper, in their old home at Fern's Hollow.' 'Oh, Miss Anne!' cried Stephen, 'I cannot bear it! May I really be your servant all my life ?' and the boy's voice was lost in sobs.
'Come, Stephen,' said the lord of the manor, 'I want you to show us some of your old haunts on the hills.

If Miss Anne had not formed a better plan, I should have proposed making you my gamekeeper; for Jones has been telling me about the grouse last year.