The regiment had at length passed by, and the sound of the drums and trumpets had become almost inaudible, when Aunt Lizzie rose to lay her sobbing burden on the bed.  
"So, my little loved one, we must rest now," she said softly; "and Aunt Lizzie will lie down beside Violet while she tries to sleep."
 
But at this moment a bell over her head rang with a somewhat sharp clang.
 
"What is that?" she said, pausing astonished with the child in her arms.
 
"Oh, it is nothing; only the basket-bell, Aunt Lizzie."
 
"The basket-bell? what is that, and where is it?"
 
"The bell is over Violet's chair, and the basket is in the street," replied the child wearily. "Lay me down, Aunt Lizzie, for Violet's head aches so."
 
Lizzie laid the child on the bed, and shook up the pillows. The bell rang again.
 
[Pg 128]
 
Aunt Lizzie crept over to the window quietly and looked about her curiously, till presently, catching sight of a red cord attached to Violet's chair, she imagined she had lit on the right object. She drew it up inch by inch, and by-and-by the little straw basket made its appearance at the window, and she lifted it in.
 
She hesitated a moment, then seeing Violet's eyes open she asked her softly,—
 
"Am I to open it, darling? or shall I give it to thee?"
 
"Do thou open it, Aunt Lizzie; Violet is too tired."
 
Her aunt drew out with some surprise a small package, most carefully fastened up and sealed. On the outside was printed in a clear strong hand,—"For little Violet, from a friend."
 
"This must be a present for thee, my child; something very precious it seems too."
 
"Oh, not now; put it away, Aunt Lizzie; Violet's head aches so."
 
"What! thou wilt not even look at it?" cried her aunt, whose own curiosity was now somewhat raised, and she carried the package over to the side of the bed; but Violet only pressed her head down into the pillows and waved the gift away with her hand.
 
"Aunt Lizzie, Aunt Lizzie, my head it aches so.[Pg 129] Come and sit beside Violet; for her father, her good, dear father, is gone away, so far away; and what can she do—what can she do—what can she do?" There were sobs, but as yet no tears.
 
"Thou canst pray to the good God to keep him safe and well," said her aunt softly, as she laid the packet on the table; "that will do thee good."
 
But while she stooped down and comforted the child with kisses and loving words, there was a knock at the door, and she cried softly,—
 
"Oh, who comes now? the child is tired and must sleep."
 
But it was the doctor who opened the door and walked in. He had promised John, the night before, to look after little Violet in the first access of her trouble; and as he walked towards the bed, she gave him a little smile of welcome.
 
He sat down beside her, drawing his chair quite close up, and took the little girl's hand in his, looking earnestly at her for a few minutes without speaking.
 
Violet blushed one of those painful blushes so common to her now, which flooded all the poor pale face with vivid carmine.
 
"What is this?" said the doctor, turning his eyes slowly away from her and looking at the sealed package on the table close to him; "what have we[Pg 130] here? A present for Violet, 'from a friend.'" He took it up in his hand and examined it carefully. "Thou hast not opened it yet, I perceive."
 
"No; some other day," she said softly.
 
"Why some other day? why not now?" and the doctor held out the packet to her.
 
She stretched out her hand nervously; but it trembled so, and the parcel was so weighty for its size, that it fell from her grasp on the counterpane.
 
"There, there, that is enough; I will open it for thee." The doctor took it up and broke the seal, looking at it curiously as he did so. It had on it a little bird flying out of a cage, with the simple motto over it, "Free at last."
 
Inside the first paper was a layer of soft pink cotton wool.
 
"It must be something very precious," said the doctor, adjusting his glasses.
 
Violet rose a little on her elbow and looked also.
 
"Ho! I have a guess; but I can scarcely believe it possible."
 
"What?" she asked in a low voice, scarcely conscious even that she spoke, and with her eyes riveted on the parcel, from which the doctor was now slowly removing the pink wool.
 
[Pg 131]
 
"Oh, wonderful! I have guessed rightly. It is what I thought; and this is a gift for thee, Violet."
 
"But what is it? I cannot see it." She rose now entirely from her pillows. "O Aunt Lizzie, see—it is a watch!"
 
"A watch!" cried her aunt excitedly, who had been standing all this time by the bedside with her eyes full of tears; "is it possible?"
 
"A watch for me!—how beautiful!" Violet held it in her hand, gazing at it with those deep purple-coloured eyes which spoke so often to those she loved, even when the mouth was silent.
 
"Let me look at it again; it is quite a beauty." The doctor took it in his hand. It was a silver watch with a double case—a case which opened with a spring to show the face. The back was all chased with the ordinary............