on its way to London, bearing with it Mr L'Estrange, Nell, Harry, and Charlie, and the little snowdrop too, while it left standing on the platform a little figure in a scarlet cloak, who tried to. be brave and keep back the tears, while with both hands kisses were sent after this express train, to a boy with fair curly hair and blue eyes, who, after the engine had puffed out of the station, still kept his head out of the carriage window, so as to catch the last glimpse of his loving sister, his own little. Alice L'Estrange.

CHAPTER XVII.

CHARLIE'S LETTER.

"Write soon. Oh, sweet request of truth!
How tenderly its accents come;

We heard it first in early youth,
When sisters pressed us leaving home."

HARLIE'S first letter home was to his mother; it was just such a letter as many a schoolboy has written under the first flush of excitement, at a large public school. He began by telling what time the train had arrived in London, how his uncle's carriage had met them at the station, and driven them to Grosvenor Square, where they remained for the night. And then how he came to school the next morning with his papa and Harry. Here followed a short description of the school and the playgrounds. The latter part

of the letter, too, was like many a schoolboy's, expressive of those feelings of home sickness, which every boy who has left a happy home, must feel.

Charlie wrote with tender love of Alice, and then, as if the mention of her name was too much for him, he ended his letter abruptly, asking his mother to tell Alice he would write to her very soon.

The next letter came in a few days, addressed, Miss Alice L'Estrange, Studbury Park, Devon. Ah! yes, there it was, just as she had asked him to address it, with "Alice" on it, so that she would surely get it. Out it came from the post-bag, the very first letter, and Alice opened it, standing in the recess of the larger bow-window, behind the heavy damask curtains. "My darling Alice," thus the letter began, and these three words made Alice bite her lips hard, so as to keep back the tears. But as she read on, she forgot her grief in her sympathy with Charlie's enjoyments, and coming from behind the great crimson curtains, she handed the letter to her papa, who on reading it said, "A very happy letter; is it not, Alice."

"Yes, papa."

"Well, Alice, and how are the rabbits, pigeons, fowls, cats, dogs, garden, gardener, and all the innumerable friends and things Charlie inquires for ?"

"All very well, papa," said Alice, looking quite pleased, and then in a confiding tone she added

"Papa, the little pigeon with the black ring round its neck has not laid one egg."

"Has it not, Alice ?"

"No, papa, and Charlie said it would lay, and hatch the eggs too, but it has not laid one egg," she repeated disconsolately.

"What a shame, Alice," said Mr L'Estrange, trying to look as concerned as Alice. But she detected the smile on his face, and exclaimed—

"Ah now, papa, you are only laughing at me."

"Laughing at you, Alice! oh no; take care of the pigeons, and Cæsar, and the garden, and all, till Charlie comes back. And take your letter upstairs and read it to mamma, and then, Alice, if you are very good at lessons, how would you like to come out for a ride with me?"

"A ride with you, papa? oh! I have not had a ride with you for ever so long, that will be delightful," said Alice, as she ran upstairs to read her letter, and tell of the promised ride.

"It is a good long letter, mamma.”

"Yes, Alice, you must write to Charlie, and answer all his questions. You can do your Bible reading here now, Alice, for I shall not go down this morning." And Alice repeated her verse and

read as usual with her mamma, and then she left the room, but in a second she came back, saying— Mamma, as your head aches so to-day, would you like to go for a drive with papa, and I will stay at home."

"No, no, my child, I shall not go out to-day. I am very glad papa is going to take you for a ride," said Mrs L'Estrange, kissing Alice, and feeling gratified at her child's kind thought.

Ah! if Alice only knew how happy it made her mamma as she lay on the sofa in her room, to feel as she did, now that her little girl was really trying prayerfully and watchfully to guard against her besetting sin, and that in the end she must win the victory, for had not Mrs L'Estrange read, "Instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree"? And so she trusted Him, and prayed for both children, the boy who was absent, and the little girl at home.

No one will doubt that after the excitement of the holidays, and the parting with Charlie, it was difficult for Alice to return to the usual routine of lessons and the schoolroom. But her mamma knew that just what Alice needed now was constant employment, so the day after the departure for London, Alice recommenced lessons. Miss