MILLIE'S VICTORY.

 Millie did not open it till she was safe in her own
 room. To her utter bewilderment it ran thus:--
 "MY DEAREST MILLIE,-WVh y ictave you not written
 me before ? Why is the first letter you write me ad-
 dressed as to a stranger ? I wait anxiously to see you,
 dear. Come directly.
 "Enclosed is a cheque. You can cash it at any of
 the Ilsborough banks. I shall expect you, my dear
 child, in a day or two. Charlie is longing to see you,
 as much as I am.
 Believe me,
 "Your loving friend,
 A. LA SERRE."
 Millie could only understand two things in the
]etter-that Mrs. La Serre wrote, and had sent the
money for her to travel with. The rest was bewilder-
ing. Who was Charlie" ?
 Quite certain her aunt would not let her go, Millie
determined not to tell her, but to write a letter and
leave it with Betty. She wrote it that night, as well
as one to Mrs. Templeton, simply stating her reasons
for going, and where her future home would be.
 Miss Conway had not locked her in her room after
the first week; and in the early summer morning,
before the sun rose, Millie left the house. She carried
nothing but a little black bag, with a few of her
trinkets, her mother and Mrs. La Serre had given her,
and some birthday presents from the Templetons.
 At the Rectory gate she stopped for a moment,
looking at the beautiful garden, and the great chest-
nut that had shadowed them so often. They were all
very dear to her; one dearer than she liked to acknow-
ledge, even to herself. With a sigh she walked on,
her eyes dim with tears, through the sleeping village;