A ruddy sunset burned there now, filling the room with an enchanted glow; the soft murmur of the sea was heard, and a robin chirped "Good-night!" among the budding trees.
Rose saw and heard these things first, and felt their beauty with a child's quick instinct; then her eye took in the altered aspect of the room, once so shrouded, still and solitary, now so full of light and warmth and simple luxury.
India matting covered the floor, with a gay rug here and there; the antique andirons shone on the wide hearth, where a cheery blaze dispelled the dampness of the long-closed room.

Bamboo lounges and chairs stood about, and quaint little tables in cosy corners; one bearing a pretty basket, one a desk, and on a third lay several familiar-looking books.

In a recess stood a narrow white bed, with a lovely Madonna hanging over it.

The Japanese screen half-folded back showed a delicate toilet service of blue and white set forth on a marble slab, and near by was the great bath-pan, with Turkish towels and a sponge as big as Rose's head.
"Uncle must love cold water like a duck," she thought, with a shiver.
Then her eye went on to the tall cabinet, where a half-open door revealed a tempting array of the drawers, shelves and "cubby holes," which so delight the hearts of children.
"What a grand place for my new things," she thought, wondering what her uncle kept in that cedar retreat.
"Oh me, what a sweet toilet table!" was her next mental exclamation, as she approached this inviting spot.
A round old-fashioned mirror hung over it, with a gilt eagle a-top, holding in his beak the knot of blue ribbon that tied up a curtain of muslin falling on either side of the table, where appeared little ivory-handled brushes, two slender silver candle-sticks, a porcelain match-box, several pretty trays for small matters, and, most imposing of all, a plump blue silk cushion, coquettishly trimmed with lace, and pink rose-buds at the corners.
That cushion rather astonished Rose; in fact, the whole table did, and she was just thinking, with a sly smile, "Uncle is a dandy, but I never should have guessed it," when he opened the door of a large closet, saying, with a careless wave of the hand, "Men like plenty of room for their rattle-traps; don't you think that ought to satisfy me ?" Rose peeped in and gave a start, though all she saw was what one usually finds in closets clothes and boots, boxes and bags.

Ah! but you see these clothes were small black and white frocks; the row of little boots that stood below had never been on Dr.Alec's feet; the green bandbox had a gray veil straying out of it, and yes! the bag hanging on the door was certainly her own piece-bag, with a hole in one corner.