The lady thus appealed to looked down for a moment, thoughtfully, at the rich casket in which Nora had enclosed her treasure.
"Yes," she said; "but when your own dear mamma died, and left the diadem to me for her little daughter, she said she hoped both she and her boys would find out that there was something 'better than gold and above rubies.'"
"Better than gold!" repeated Eric. "Well, I think gold is pretty good; one can do such lots of things with it."
But his words met with no response. Nora's head was bent, and a tear had risen to her eye; for, though dimly, she still retained a remembrance of the mother who had loved her so fondly.
"Above rubies!" And they were so beautiful; yet her mother hoped she would find out something more beautiful than they. "Can there be anything more so, aunt?" she said.
Her aunt smiled. "Yes, darling, much more so, much more valuable; and you can obtain it, my child."
"I! O aunt—"
But just then the door opened, and a pleasant-faced gentleman entered.
"Eric! Nora! Indoors still on such a lovely day? Fie for shame! Put away work and playthings, and off into the glorious sunshine. Look yonder; the trees are glistening to-day as with many-coloured gems. And, mamma," he said, turning to the lady the children termed aunt, "as I passed the nursery door, I heard two little voices asking, 'Where's mamma?' You had better go and see what's wanted. But where's Ronald? Not at his book, I hope, when to-day is a holiday? He studies too much, and you, Master Eric, too little."
"O uncle," said Nora, "Ronald is out-of-doors—I saw him go: but, for all that, he had a book under his arm; he can't live without books," she said with a smile. "And this is his last day here for a long time. Let us go, Eric, and find out where he is—at the Wishing-Well, I believe. Oh, it will be lovely there to-day!" And so saying she ran off, followed by her brother.