"No, I suppose not. By the way, John, I've been thinking your sister-in-law may want to make you guardian to her little girl."
"It is not very probable, Mary. Let me see, the child is about the age of the twins, is she not?"
"Yes, her birthday is within a month of theirs. I remember your brother's letter in which he told us of his little daughter's birth! How pleased he was! How he would have loved her if he had lived!"
"Ab, poor fellow! They named the baby Stella. Why, Mary, if anything happens to the mother the child will be quite a little heiress; you know my sister-in-law inherited a lot of money from a distant relation. Well, I must really be off!"
One long kiss, a tender embrace, and Mrs. Knight was listening to her husband's footsteps descending the stairs.
[CHAPTER II]
STELLA'S LONDON HOME
IN a handsomely furnished bedroom in a large house in a London square, her face pressed disconsolately against the window-pane, stood a little girl of about ten years old. It was nearly four o'clock, and the October day that had dawned with brilliant sunshine had clouded in, and the rain fell heavily, drenching the few pedestrians whose business obliged them to face the stormy elements.
The child was a pretty little creature, beautifully formed, with dainty hands and feet, and a pale oval face, out of which two soft brown eyes shone like stars. She was dressed in a showy, fantastic style, her scarlet skirt just reaching to her knees, a scarlet ribbon confining her rich dark hair, and scarlet shoes with high heels ornamented with large paste buckles encased her little feet. Half-a-dozen silver bangles jingled on each slender wrist, and the delicate laces at her throat were fastened by a brooch far too valuable for a child to wear. Presently she began to sing softly to herself, till a sudden memory crossing her mind she paused, and sighed: "Oh, how dull it is, to be sure! I wish mother would make haste and get well; she's been ill so long. I cannot think why she doesn't get better."
At that moment a hansom cab appeared in sight and drew up in front of the house. A tall gentleman alighted, and, having paid the driver, entered the house. The child sighed again. "Another doctor, I suppose!"