he house."
And he looked after her with a loving smile as she flitted by him. Annie
Bermon passed quickly through the shaded sitting-room into the cool and
matted hall, catching glimpses as she went of the pretty parlour and
wide library; but her aunt was in neither of these rooms; so she hurried
up stairs, and stealing on tiptoe, with gentle fingers she pushed open
the door. Margaret Greylston was sitting by the table, sewing; her face
was flushed, and her eyes red and swollen as with weeping. Annie stood
still in wonder. But Miss Margaret suddenly looked up, and her niece
sprang, with a glad cry, into her arms.

"You are not well, Aunt Margaret? Oh! how sorry I am to hear that, but
it seems to me I could never get sick in this sweet place; everything
looks so bright and lovely here. And I _would_ come this morning, Aunt
Margaret, in spite of everything Sophy and all of them could say. They
told me I had been here once before this summer, and stayed a long time,
and if I would, come again, my welcome would be worn out, just as if I
was going to believe _such_ nonsense;" and Annie tossed her head. "But
I persevered, and you see, aunty dear, I am here, we will trust for some
good purpose, as Richard would say."

A silent Amen to this rose up in Miss Margaret's heart, and with it
came a hope dim and shadowy, yet beautiful withal; she hardly dared to
cherish it. Annie went on talking,--

"I can only stay two weeks with you--school commences then, and I must
hurry back to it; but I am always so glad to get here, away from the
noise and dust of the city; this is the best place in the world. Do you
know when we were travelling this summer, I was pining all the time to
get here. I was so tired of Newport and Saratoga, and all the crowds we
met."

"You are singular in your tastes, some would think, Annie," said Miss
Greylston, smiling fondly on her darling.

"So Madge and Sophy were always saying; even Clare laughed at me, and
my brothers, too,--only Richard,--Oh! by the way, I did torment him
this morning, he is so grave and good, and he was just beginning a nice
lecture at the gate, when the driver called, and poor Richard had only
time to send his love to you. Wasn't it droll, though, that lecture
being cut so short?" and Annie threw herself down in the great cushioned
chair, and laughed heartily.

Annie Bermond was the youngest of John and Margaret Greylston's nieces
and nephews. Her beauty, her sweet and sunny tempe