As Mrs. Stanhope sat down with them, nothing more could be said about the Song of Paradise, and Nora must put off till another time her account of all that Clarissa had told her about the happiness of the heavenly life.  So at first there was silence between them, but then she asked Elsli about her life at home, and Elsli told about her little brothers and the baby, and then about Fani; and once started upon that topic she hardly knew where to stop.  She told how kind he was to her, and how clever at his lessons, how he helped her with her exercises, and she did not know how she could live without him.  If she was ever so tired and miserable, it always rested her and made her happy to have Fani come home; for he was so full of hope and courage that it seemed as if her burdens were lifted off, and she felt as gay as he did, while he described the delightful things that they would do and see together some day.

Mrs. Stanhope listened with pleasure to the soft-voiced child whose blue eyes grew more and more tender as she talked on about her brother.  As for Nora, she did not lose a word of it all, and evidently lived it over in imagination with the deepest interest, and when her mother said:—­

“Now, Elsli, it is time for you to go; we shall expect you back at four o’clock,” Nora added:—­

“And tell your mother that you will not be at home till eight; you will have supper here.”

With a happy heart the little maiden went off to school, and as soon as school was over, she darted off, not even stopping to speak to Emma, lest she should be detained.  As she was hurrying along the path towards Oak-ridge, she heard some one calling to her,—­

“Wait, wait, I say; why don’t you stop when I tell you to?” It was Feklitus who was running after her:—­

“I can’t stop, I shall be late,” called Elsli over her shoulder, and ran on; Feklitus followed for a while, very angry, and sending fearful threats after her; but he grew soon out of breath, and when he stopped to catch his breath and cough, he saw that she was quite beyond the reach of even his voice, and that farther chase was useless.

As for Elsli, she never drew a long breath till she had reached the house at Oak-ridge.  Nora had been watching for her from the window, and she called out eagerly:—­

“Come in, Elsli; come here and rest; you shouldn’t run so hard.”  She found Nora alone, and Nora told her, with great satisfaction, that her mother had gone out for a walk at her request, and that they were to be left together for the whole evening.

“So now,” she added, “I shall have a chance to tell you a great deal that you have never thought about; that is, how delightful it will be when we leave earth and go to heaven.  Oh! oh!” she continued, growing more and more excited as she went on, “who can tell how beautiful it will be?  Far more lovely than anything we have ever seen; and there will be no sick people there, and no one is tired there; everybody is happy, and there is a river with flowers growing along its banks, and—­but wait; I will tell you Clarissa’s song, and then you’ll know about it.”