She relapsed into a dull, apathetic state, from which the repeated efforts of her sister failed to arouse her.

The following winter she contracted pneumonia and died, leaving her sister the sole guardian of Eleanor." "How long ago did all this happen, dear Mrs.Gray ?" queried Nora eagerly, "and is little Eleanor living ?" "It was sixteen years ago, my dear," replied Mrs.Gray, "and the reason that I have told you this long tale is because the baby girl is almost a woman now, and----" "The girl is Eleanor Savell and we met her the other day," broke in Grace excitedly, forgetting for an instant that she had interrupted Mrs.
Gray.

"She is going to live at 'Heartsease' and---- oh, Mrs.Gray, please pardon me for interrupting you, I was so excited that I didn't realize my own rudeness." "Granted, my dear," smiled the old lady.

"But how did you happen to meet Eleanor?
They arrived only a few days ago." Grace rapidly narrated their meeting and conversation with Eleanor, while Mrs.Gray listened without comment.

When Grace repeated Eleanor's remark about having made up her mind, the old lady looked a little troubled.