Little Rikli enjoyed the anticipation of the summer with pure delight.  She was never so happy as when with Fred, yet her pleasure in being with him had been always mixed with fright; but she was sure that under the protection of good Aunt Clarissa there would be no danger that frogs or beetles should be allowed to annoy her, or that any unpleasant creatures would crawl out upon her under the shady lindens by the river.

Fani and Elsli grew better and happier every day; they had but one unsatisfied wish—­that the summer would come; so that they might welcome their dear old friends to their new home, and show them its beauties and share its blessings with them.

Aunt Clarissa took great pains that the two children committed to her care should not forget the good Father in heaven who had provided such a home for them.  She led them often to the spot where Philo and Nora lay buried, and reminded them how quickly and unexpectedly sorrow may be changed into joy, as they had themselves experienced; then she told them that just so quickly joy may be changed to sorrow, and that into the brightest sunshine the shadow of death may fall; so that only those can live happy and secure who have full trust in God, who holds all life in his hand, and who makes both joy and sorrow work together for good to those who love him.

[Illustration:  DINO AND CORNELLI HAD UNDERTAKEN A GREAT WORK; THEY WERE LAYING OUT MARTHA’S GARDEN]

VOLUME TWO

CHAPTER I.

THE NEW HOME.

Winter was over and gone.  The early summer roses had opened again, and raised their heads high about the villa on the Rhine.  They glowed and blossomed in all the garden-beds, and glistened in the sunshine, and sent their sweet perfume far and near on every breeze.  On the pebbly path that led down from the splashing fountain to the lindens by the river, Fani and Elsli scampered back and forth, drinking in the fragrant air.

“Do you know where Mrs. Stanhope’s house gets its name?” asked Fani, as he stood by a bed of flowers, watching with delight the airy butterflies flitting from blossom to blossom, and then floating away as in ecstacy up into the blue air.

“Of course I do,” answered Elsli; “it is called Rosemount because there are so many rose-bushes stretching from up here way down to the lindens.”

“Well, that’s true; but there’s nothing melancholy about it,” said Fani, reproachfully.  “What makes you look so sad, Elsli?  You almost always look sad nowadays, and it isn’t right, for I’m sure there’s no reason for it.  And Mrs. Stanhope notices it, too, and she doesn’t like it very well; she must think that you are horribly ungrateful, and that you don’t realize how well off we are.  And yet you can’t help realizing it when you think how it used to be at home.”