“Yes, brother, we will have an amicable settlement when all is over,” returned Mr. George as he rose to take leave, for it was nearing bedtime; and with an affectionate good-night to the nieces and nephew the two took their departure.
“Who has kinder uncles than ours?” exclaimed Blanche, as the door closed upon them. “It fairly gives me a heartache to think of going where I shall perhaps never see them again!” and she heaved a sigh which seemed to come from the bottom of her heart.
“Yes,” sighed Ethel, “how few earthly pleasures there are that do not bring some sorrow with them. But oh! it will not be so in the better land, for the Bible tells us there shall be no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain.”
“And Nan is there; dear, dear Nan, so peaceful and happy! Oh, I am sure she would not come back to earth if she could,” said Blanche softly, and wiping away a tear.
CHAPTER XXI.
Dorothy came in the next morning soon after breakfast, looking cheerful and bright.
“You two girls are to come to our house directly after shutting up here,” she said. “I arranged it all with your uncles last evening—that is Aunt Sarah and I; we both want you, and so do uncle and the boys. They say you have hardly been there to make any stay at all, Ethel, and that it is Blanche’s old home; so of course you ought both to come, and we have coaxed Uncle Albert to consent. You see I told him I wanted to help with your sewing and that you could run in to have a talk with him in the evenings, or he come into our house; and as he couldn’t see much of you at any other time—being down at his store all day—he finally gave up with pretty good grace and said I might have it my own way. I am sure it is only right that I should, for I really care more about you than any of his girls do. Now tell me honestly wouldn’t you be as willing to spend those last weeks with us as with them?”
“Well,” returned Ethel with a smile, “I cannot deny that I should. I do not know which of my uncles I love best; and you, Dorothy, are more congenial and seem to care more for us than Uncle Albert’s daughters. So I am well pleased with the arrangement you propose. It is very kind in you to offer your help with our sewing too.”
“Yes, indeed,” said Blanche. “You are more like an own cousin to us than any one of the girls in the other house; and I’m very fond of Uncle George and his boys; of Aunt Sarah too, for she has been really kind to us for years.”
“Then you’ll come to us?”