Her impressive, almost solemn manner, sobered the father’s mood.  “What she is, is the result of what her mother has taught her,” he returned.

“Not one of us wanted her when she came,” said the housekeeper, looking from one to the other of the young couple standing before her.  “Not one person in the house was half civil to her.”  Julia’s hand tightened on her husband’s arm.  “I didn’t want anybody troubling Mr. Evringham.  People called him a hard, cold, selfish man; but I knew his trials, yes, Mr. Harry, you know I knew them.  He was my employer and it was my business to make him comfortable, and I hated that dear little girl because I’d made up my mind that she’d upset him.  Well, Jewel didn’t know anything about hate, not enough to know it when she saw it.  She just loved us all, through thick and thin, and you’ll have to wait till you can read what the recording angel’s set down, before you can have any full idea of what she’s done for us.  She’s made a humble woman out of me, and I was the stiff-neckedest member of the congregation.  There’s my only child, Zeke; she’s persuaded him out of habits that were breaking up our lives.  There was Eloise Evringham, without hope or God in the world.  She gave her both, that little Jewel did.  Then, most of all, she crept into Mr. Evringham’s empty heart and filled it full, and made his whole life, as you might say, blossom again.  That’s what she’s done, single handed, in two months, and she has no more conceit of her work than a ray of God’s sunshine has when it’s opening a flower bud.”

Julia Evringham’s gaze was fixed intently upon the speaker, and she was unconscious that two tears rolled down her cheeks.

“You’ve made us very happy, telling us this,” she said, rather breathlessly, as the housekeeper paused.

“And I should like to add, Mrs. Evringham,” said Mrs. Forbes impressively, “that you’d better turn your attention to an orphan asylum and catch them as young as you can and train them up.  What this old world wants is a whole crop of Jewels.”

Julia’s smile was very sweet.  “We may all have the pure child thought,” she returned.

Mrs. Forbes passed on upstairs.  Harry looked at his wife.  He was winking fast.  “Well, this isn’t any laughing matter, after all, Julia.”

“No, it’s a matter to make us very humble with joy and gratitude.”

As she spoke Jewel bounded back into the hall and ran into her father’s open arms.

“A good breakfast, eh?” he asked tenderly.

“Yes, I didn’t mean to be so long, but Sarah said grandpa wanted me to eat a chop.  Now, now, we’re going to see Star!”

“I’d better fix your hair first,” remarked her mother.

“Oh, let her hair go till lunch time,” said Harry.  “The horses won’t care, will they, Jewel?” He picked her up and set her on his shoulder and out they went to the clean, spacious stables.

Zeke pulled down his shirt-sleeves as he saw them coming.  “This is my father and mother, Zeke,” cried the child, happily, and the coachman ducked his head with his most unprofessional grin.