"Now you will be a good girl, Fanny Jane, while I am gone-won't you?" said Miss Fanny Grant (who has appeared several times before in these stories), to Fanny Jane Grant, her niece (who has never been presented to our readers).

"Oh yes, Miss Fanny; I will be ever so good; I won't even look wrong," replied Fanny Jane, whose snapping black eyes even then beamed with mischief.

"I am afraid you don't mean what you say," added Miss Fanny, suspiciously.

"Yes, I do; I mean every word of it, and more too."

"You make large promises; and I find when you promise most, you perform least."

"But, certain true as I live, I won't do a single thing this time," protested Fanny Jane. "Won't you believe me?"

"You have deceived me so often that I do not know when to trust you."

"I have turned over a new leaf, and I mean to be just as good as ever I can be."

"If you are not good, Fanny Jane, I shall feel very bad when I return. I have done a great deal for you, and I hope you will think of it if you are tempted to do wrong during my absence. This time, in particular, I wish you to behave very well, and not do any mischief. You know what father says about you?"

"He don't like me," pouted Fanny Jane.

"When you are good he likes you."

"He scolds me all the time."

"He never scolds you; he reproves you when you do wrong, and I am sorry to say that is very often indeed. He says, if you do not behave better, he shall send you back to your uncle in the west."

"I don't want to go there."

"You must, if you do not do better. He would have sent you before if I had not interceded for you."

"Hadn't what?"

"If I hadn't begged him not to do so."

"I won't be sent back to my uncle's, any how," replied Fanny Jane, sharply; for the intimations of what might be, roused a spirit of resentment, rather than of penitence, in her mind.

"We will not talk about that now, Fanny Jane. We are going to Hudson to spend a week. The strongest objection to our visit was, that you would not behave well while we were gone."

"Oh, I will behave well!"

"We intend to trust you once more. If you disappoint me this time, I shall not be able to say another word in your favor; and I am quite sure father will send you off to Minnesota just as soon as we get back."

The carriage was waiting at the door; Miss Bertha was already seated, and Miss Fanny, having done all she could to insure the good behavior of the troublesome young miss who had become her peculiar charge, hastened to join her sister, and they were driven away towards the railroad station.

In the two tall and elegant ladies, seated in the Woodville family carriage, our readers would hardly recognize Miss Bertha and Miss Fanny Grant, for eight years have elapsed since they were introduced, as children, to our young friends. Miss Bertha maintains her pure and beautiful character, and is still a blessing to the family, and to the neighborhood in which she resides. Miss Fanny is taller and prettier than her sister; and, having put away her childish follies, she is quite a dignified personage.

Mighty events had transpired since they were children, and the country was entering upon the second year of the great civil war, which desolated the sunny South, and carried mourning to almost every household of the free North. Richard Grant had already distinguished himself as a captain in a popular New York regiment, of which the Rev. Ogden Newman whilom Noddy, was the chaplain.

Mr. Grant had retired from active business, and had been succeeded by Mr. Sherwood, his clerk, who, having a high appreciation of the excellent character of Miss Bertha, was about to enter into more intimate relations with his employer and predecessor in business. Miss Bertha was to become Mrs. Sherwood in June, and, as Mr. Grant had reluctantly accepted a financial mission from the government, which compelled him to visit Europe, it had been arranged that the bridal tour should be a trip across the Atlantic, in which Miss Fanny was to accompany them. If the general conduct of Fanny Jane had been sufficiently meritorious to warrant the extending of the privilege to her, doubtless she also would have been one of the party, for she had been for two years a member of the family.

Fanny Jane was a distant relative of the Grants of Woodville. Mr. Grant had two cousins, John and Edward, the latter of whom-the father of the wayward girl-had died three years previously. At the time of his decease, he was in the employ of the wealthy broker, as a traveling agent. Just before his death, which occurred in a western city, while conscious that his end was near, he had written a letter to Mr. Grant, begging him to see that his only child was properly cared for when he could no longer watch over her.

Edward Grant's wife had been dead several years. At her decease Fanny Jane had been committed to the care of her father's brother, then residing in Illinois. Mr. Grant, impressed by the solemn duty entrusted to him by his deceased cousin, promptly wrote to the child's uncle, who was dependent upon his own exertions for his daily bread, offering any assistance which the orphan might need; but no demand was made upon him.

A year after the father's death, Mr. Grant's business affairs required him to visit the west, and he decided to satisfy himself that the charge committed to him by the dying father was well cared for. On his arrival he was not pleased with . . .