ready to go.

As they entered the hall, Mrs. Shelton picked up a letter which the
postman had just brought. It had a foreign postmark, and Molly knew it
must be from her Aunt Evelyn, her Uncle Arthur's wife, who lived in
England. Mrs. Shelton sat down in the library and opened the letter.
She had read only a few lines when she exclaimed: "Well, I declare!"

"What is it, mother?" asked Molly. "What does Aunt Evelyn say? How is
Mary?"

"She is better, and what do you think, Molly? Uncle Arthur is coming
over and is going to bring Mary with him. They are on their way."

"Oh, Polly! Polly!" cried Molly, "what do you think? Our Cousin Mary
is coming. Three Marys in one house and all named after the same
grandmother. Tell us more, mother. When are they coming and how long
are they going to stay, and all about it. Are they going to Aunt Ada's
with us?"

"Wait a minute," said Mrs. Shelton, scanning the final page of her
letter. Molly watched her till she read the last word. "It is this
way," Mrs. Shelton told her; "your Uncle Arthur has to come to America
on business and Mary, you know, has not been very well, so when the
doctor advised a sea voyage, Uncle Arthur decided to bring Mary with
him and leave her with some of us while he should travel about to look
after his business matters. It was all determined upon very hurriedly
and Aunt Evelyn is much concerned lest she is giving us a charge we may
not wish to undertake. However, I shall hasten to let her know that we
shall be delighted to welcome Mary. My own little niece whom I have
never seen! It is a great happiness to have both my nieces here this
summer." She smiled at Polly.

"But when is she coming?" asked Molly.

"In about a week I should judge."

"Oh, we will be gone then," said Molly, turning to Polly. She hardly
knew whether to be glad or sorry of the fact.

"I am glad I determined to wait a little later before going away with
your father," continued Mrs. Shelton, "for now I shall be here to
receive Arthur and Mary, and can bring Mary up with me on the way to
Rangeley. Aunt Ada will be perfectly delighted to know she is to have
a visit from Mary, for she has asked so many times that her parents
would lend her for a summer."

"It will be just lovely to expect her," said Molly hospitably. "I do
hope we shall like her, mother, and that she will be as easy to get
acquainted with as Polly is. I feel as if I had always known Polly;
she