Winthrop will let me take it," Winifred said.

"Because he is good, are you bound not to get strong?"
Elizabeth said with an air of slight vexation.

"No," -- said Winnie, "but because he is good I must do what he
says."

"I wish I liked anybody so well as that!" said Elizabeth
kissing her. "Good bye, dear, -- I'll come for you to-morrow.
There's no objection to that, I suppose?"

"No," Winnie said laughing; and they parted.

Five minutes Winnie was alone, thinking over her visit and
visiter. They were a great novelty, and very interesting.
Winnie's thoughts roved with an odd mixture of admiration and
pity over the beautiful dress, and fine face, and elastic
step; they were bewitching; but Winnie had seen a shadow on
the face, and she knew that the best brightness had never
lighted it. Five minutes were all she had to think about it;
then she heard a very different step on the stairs.

"I heard her go," said Mrs. Nettley, coming in, "and I had a
little more time to spare; so I thought I would spend it with
you; -- unless you've got enough with such a gay visiter and
don't want me."

"O no indeed, Mrs. Nettley, I want you just as much. Have you
done dinner?"

"George isn't ready yet;" and Mrs. Nettley took Miss Haye's
chair and set her knitting-needles a going. "Has she tired you
with talking?"

"No -- talking doesn't tire me, --and she wasn't a gay visiter,
either, Mrs. Nettley -- what do you mean by 'gay'?"

"O, she was handsome, and young, and 'fine feathers make fine
birds' I'm sure," said Mrs. Nettley; -- "wasn't she smartly
dressed?"

"Yes," said Winnie, she had handsome things on; but that
didn't make her _gay_."

"Well that was what I meant. How do you like that young lady?"

"I don't know," said Winnie. "I think I like her."

"This isn't the first of your seeing her, dear!"

"O no -- she was at our house once. I've seen her before, but
that was a great while ago. I didn't know her again at first."

"Then she remembered you best."

"O --" said Winnie, considering, -- "she has seen Rufus and
Winthrop since then."

"She's a handsome young lady, don't you think so?"

"I don't know --" said Winnie.

"Ask your brother if he don't think so."

"Why?"

"See if he don't think so."

"Which brother?"

"Your brother that's here -- your brother Winthrop."

"Does he think she is?"

"Ask him," repeated Mrs. Nettley.

"I don't know why I should ask him," said Winnie turning over
uneasily