Mrs. Santon was alone, for it was a full hour before the family’s usual time for arising.  Winnie bade her mother “good morning,” and was about to ask if she had rested well in her new home, when she was interrupted by her, and in an imperative tone she said:—­

“This may be earlier than you have been accustomed to ’rising, Miss Santon, but my habits for early rising are proverbial, and of course my household will conform to my wishes in regard to matters which you will at once see are for the best.  What I wished to speak with you more particularly about this morning, is in regard to the keys; you will please produce them, as I shall have a thorough overhauling at once, and if I mistake not,” said she, glancing at Winnie’s neat morning attire, “the sooner the better, for I think those jewelled hands have not troubled themselves much about such things.  I wonder that you have not been brought up to something beside killing time!”

“Madam!” vociferated Winnie, her face crimsoned with the insult which she had received, but she paused, though still trembling with rage, her eye had rested on a gentle form, standing within the open door—­it was the Sea-flower.  With one finger upon her lip, her brow calm as the new day, she gazed upon Winnie, till gaining her eye, unobserved by Mrs. Santon she glided away.  Instead of the rage Winnie would have poured forth, she merely said, “I will send you the keys,” and left the room.  Despatching a servant with the keys, which she had intended to have put into her hands at the earliest opportunity, thereby acknowledging her superior claim at once, she sought Natalie, whom she found seated in the conservatory, enjoying the Indian summer breeze, which stole softly in among the fragrant plants, which were the particular objects of her care.  Each knew what was uppermost in the other’s mind, but Winnie’s heart was too full to speak.

“I have been thinking, Winnie,” said the Sea-flower, “how thankful we should be, that we have so many friends to love us.  I think I have never realized it until now, and,” she spoke in a lower tone, “dear Winnie, should you ever receive other than the kindly treatment to which you have always been accustomed, let it serve to increase your gratitude that you have so many with whom you can trust your affections.”

“Yes, Natalie, I will strive to do aright.  I will try to do as I think you would have done, but I fear I shall not have your strength.  O, it is so hard! if I only had a mother to love me, I could endure anything else!” and her excitable nature getting the better of her, she burst into tears.  Natalie threw her arm about her neck, and, her own voice tremulous with the pity which she felt for her, she tried to soothe her spirits; “you shall have a mother!  My mother shall be your mother! for are you not to be my sister? and she will love you as did your own gentle mother! but Mrs. Santon will yet become reconciled to you, for when she finds what a good heart you have, she cannot but treat you with kindness.”