meaning now, and I won't get angry with you. I
think I must be a changeling, in spirit probably; there could be no
mistake, I presume, in my physical identity, but my heart always claims
kindred most with the lean, hungry faces."

"You could soon make my eyes watery, I do believe," Hubert said, with a
gentleness that surprised me.

I saw Mrs. Flaxman quietly drying her eyes and wondered why my few,
simple words should touch their tear fountain.

Towards evening I started on my walk to the Mill Road. The gardener had
very graciously allowed me to gather some flowers to take with me. These
I had arranged with some wet mosses I found in the woods that morning;
and begging a nice little basket from the housekeeper, had them very
daintily arranged. When I came downstairs equipped for my walk, I found
a very stylish young lady standing in the hall beside Mrs. Flaxman.

"Esmerelda will show you the way. I scarcely feel equal for such a walk
this hot day, and I know you will kindly excuse me."

"Oh certainly; it would trouble me to have you walk any distance when you
look so frail."

"I am not frail, dear; but I have got into an idle habit of taking my
outings in the carriage; and so walking soon tires me."

I turned towards the young lady, who in a very graceful, dignified way
seemed to be awaiting my pleasure. I could not believe she was a servant,
and felt quite shabby when I compared my own costume with hers.

When we were walking down the avenue I ventured a remark or two on the
beauty of the place; but she answered me with such proud reserve I
suddenly relapsed into silence which remained unbroken until we reached
Mrs. Blake's door. While I stood knocking at the front door Esmerelda
slipped around to the back of the cottage where a rough, board porch
served as entrance for every day occasions. Mrs. Blake met me with
genuine cordiality, and then led me into a close smelling room. The floor
was covered with a cheap carpet, a few common chairs, a very much worn
horse-hair sofa, and a table covered with a very new, and very
gay-looking cloth, comprised the furnishing, with the exception of walls
decorated with cheap chromos in the most wonderful frames I ever
saw,--some of them made of shells, some of leather, some of moss, and
others simply covered, with bright pieces of chintz. I longed to arrange
them in more orderly fashion. They were hanging crooked or too close
together, not one of them in a proper way I decided