u've a mind to bring along!"

It was spoken heartily, but with a tear in the eye; and nobody
answered; unless it were answer, the long breath which Winnie
drew at the very idea of such a visit.

Winthrop heard it; but through the long weeks of summer he
could give her nothing more of country refreshment than the
old walks on the Green and an occasional ride or walk on the
opposite shore of one or the other of the rivers that bordered
the city. Business held him fast, with a grip that he must not
loosen; though he saw and knew that his little sister's face
grew daily more thin and pale, and that her slight frame was
slighter and slighter. His arm had less and less to do, even
though her need called for more. He felt as if she was
slipping away from him. August came.

"Winnie," said he one evening, when he came home and found her
lying on her couch as usual, -- "how would you like to go up
and pay Karen a visit?"

"Karen?" -- said Winnie, -- "where?"

"At home. -- At Wut-a-qut-o."

"Wut-a-qut-o!" said Winnie; -- "is Karen there? I thought
Shahweetah was sold."

"It isn't sold yet -- it won't be till September -- and Karen is
there yet, keeping house with her brother Anderese."

"Anderese! -- is old Anderese there?" said Winnie. "O I should
like to go, Governor!" she said raising herself on her elbow.
"Can we?"

"Yes, if you like. Hildebrand Cowslip is down here with his
father's sloop -- how would you like to go up in her?"

"In the sloop? -- O how good!" said Winnie bringing her thin
hands together. "Can we? But dear Governor, you can't be
away?"

"Yes -- just as well as not. There isn't much doing in August --
everybody takes a resting time; and so you and I will,
Winnie," said he, bending down to kiss her.

Winnie looked up at him gratefully and lovingly with her
wistful large eyes, the more expressive from the setting of
illness and weakness in the face.

"I'd like you to have a rest, dear Governor."

He stood stroking back the ringlets from the thin blue-veined
temple.

"Wouldn't it do you good to see Wut-a-qut-o again?"

"O I am sure it would! -- And you too, wouldn't it?"

"I am good enough already," said Winthrop looking down at her.

"Too good," said Winnie looking up at him. "I guess you want
pulling down!"

She had learned to read his face so well, that it was with a
pang she saw the look with which he turned off to his work. A
stranger could not have seen in it possibly anything bu