orah, and who smiled at me graciously.

Cousin Matthew talked with his wife for a time about what had happened
to him and to her during his absence; and then he said, "And how is
madam to-day? you have not spoken of her."--"She is not so well as
usual," said cousin Agnes. "She has had one of her sorrowful times
since you went away. I have sat with her for several hours to-day; but
she has hardly spoken to me." And then cousin Matthew looked at me,
and cousin Agnes hesitated for a minute. Deborah had left the room.

"We speak of a member of our family whom you have not seen, although
you may have heard your father speak of her. She is called Lady Ferry
by most people who know of her; but you may say madam when you speak to
her. She is very old, and her mind wanders, so that she has many
strange fancies; but you must not be afraid, for she is very gentle and
harmless. She is not used to children; but I know you will not annoy
her, and I dare say you can give her much pleasure." This was all that
was said; but I wished to know more. It seemed to me that there was a
reserve about this person, and the old house itself was the very place
for a mystery. As I went through some of the other rooms with cousin
Agnes in the summer twilight, I half expected to meet Lady Ferry in
every shadowy corner; but I did not dare to ask a question. My
father's words came to me,--"Such an endless life," and "living on and
on." And why had he and mother never spoken to me afterward of my
seeing her? They had talked about it again, perhaps, and did not mean
to tell me, after all.

I saw something of the house that night, the great kitchen, with its
huge fireplace, and other rooms up stairs and down; and Cousin Agnes
told me, that by daylight I should go everywhere, except to Madam's
rooms: I must wait for an invitation there.

The house had been built a hundred and fifty years before, by Colonel
Haverford, an Englishman, whom no one knew much about, except that he
lived like a prince, and would never tell his history. He and his sons
died; and after the Revolution the house was used for a tavern for many
years,--the Ferry Tavern,--and the place was busy enough. Then there
was a bridge built down the river, and the old ferry fell into disuse;
and the owner of the house died, and his family also died, or went
away; and then the old place, for a long time, was either vacant, or in
the hands of different owners. It was going to rui