Evadne turned her head away and clenched her hands tightly as the flood of bitter-sweet memories threatened to engulf her.

“Papa always went with me,” she said slowly, “whatever he liked I chose.”

Judge Hildreth gave a sigh of relief.  He had extricated himself from a difficult position with diplomatic skill.  It did not occur to him that a lie which is half the truth is the meanest kind of a lie.  He had acquainted his niece with all that was necessary for her to know at present, and at the same time left himself a loophole of escape from the imputation of disregarding his brother’s wishes.  When she became old enough to assume the responsibility, and he got his affairs straightened out sufficiently to admit of transferring to her care the funds which were so absolutely essential to his present success, he would put Evadne in full possession of her inheritance.  Results had proved the wisdom of his decision.  By her own acknowledgment his niece had never given a thought to the subject.  His brother’s plan would be a height of imprudence from which he was bound to shield her.

In Evadne’s mind also thought was busy.  “Money is one of the greatest things in the world,” her uncle had said, and she had read that morning, “tongues shall cease, and knowledge shall be done away, but love never faileth.  Now abideth faith, hope, and love; the greatest of these is love.”  Was Louis right?  Did Christians and the Bible not agree?  And the business of her life was to find Jesus Christ.  Was there any money in that?

When they reached Hollywood, where Judge Hildreth had business with Mr. Hawthorne, Evadne was in an ecstasy of silent rapture.  She had never dreamed what a New England farm might be.  Its varied beauty, clad in the dazzling robes of early summer, came upon her with the suddenness of a revelation.  She begged to be allowed to wait for her uncle out of doors, and wandered slowly on past the great barns to where the wide gate stretched across the green road.  When she reached it she stopped and looked with keen delight at the beautiful creatures in the fields on either side.  The sunshine fell upon her with loving warmth; in the distance she could hear the whirr of a mowing machine and the shouts of the men at work.  A magnificent young horse thrust his head familiarly over the fence near by, and under the shade of a great tree Primrose, with her graceful calf beside her, was lazily chewing her cud.

Everything spoke of contentment and comfort and peace.  An unutterable longing seized upon the lonely girl.  Here at least she would have God’s creatures to love, and his woods and the sky!  She laid her head down upon the gate with a smothered cry.

“If I only belonged,—­like the cows!”

“Pitty lady!”

Startled by the sweet, baby voice, Evadne looked up to find a pair of laughing blue eyes peeping sympathetically at her.  The sun-bonnet had fallen back and the golden curls were tossed in luxurious confusion over the little head.