as he is
of her."

When lunch was over, the eldest Miss Joyce whispered a petition in her
mother's ear, "May Carry and I take the dear little girl out with us to
see our gardens, mamma?"

"Certainly, my love, if she likes to go. You had better ask her--Ah,
dear! dear! I forgot--I mean, write on her slate. It's so hard to
remember she's deaf and dumb, when one sees her sitting there looking
so pretty and happy. She seems to like the cake. Remind me, Emmy, to tie
some up for her in paper before she goes away."

Miss Emily and Miss Caroline went round to the child directly, and
made signs for the slate. They alternately wrote on it with immense
enthusiasm, until they had filled one side; signing their initials in
the most business-like manner at the end of each line, thus:--

"Oh, do come and see my gardens. E. J."--"We will gather you such a
nice nosegay. C. J."--"I have got some lovely little guinea-pigs. B.
J."--"And Mark, our gardener, has made me a summer-house, with such
funny chairs in it. C. J."--"You shall have my parasol to keep the sun
off. B. J."--"And we will send Leo into the water as often as you like
him to go. C. J."--Thus they went on till they got to the bottom of the
slate.

The child, after nodding her head and smiling as she read each fresh
invitation, turned the slate over, and, with some little triumph at
showing that she could write too, began slowly to trace some large text
letters in extremely crooked lines. It took her a long time--especially
as Mr. Blyth was breathlessly looking over her shoulder all the
while--to get through these words: "Thank you for being so kind to me. I
will go with you anywhere you like."

In a few minutes more the two young ladies and little Mary were walking
over the bright lawn, with Leo in close attendance, carrying a stick in
his mouth.

Valentine started up to follow them; then appeared suddenly to remember
something, and sat down again with a very anxious expression on his
face. He and Doctor Joyce looked at one another significantly. Before
breakfast, that morning, they had been closeted at a private interview.
Throughout the conversation which then took place, Mr. Blyth had been
unusually quiet, and very much in earnest. The doctor had begun by
being incredulous and sarcastic in a good-humored way; but had ended by
speaking seriously, and making a promise under certain conditions. The
time for the performance of that promise had now arrived.

"You ne