tra, Mrs. Grey and Aunt
Fanning among the ladies, and Mr. Lyle, Mr. Lytton and Dr. Jones
among the gentlemen. I shall have your rooms made ready for you."

There was much more of kind and affectionate planning for the summer's
work and pleasure. But Mary Grey read no further. Dropping the letter
upon her lap, she clasped her hands and raised her pale face toward
heaven, murmuring:

"She is coming here. I dare not meet her. I must go away again. I am
hunted to death--I am hunted to death! I was hunted from Blue Cliffs,
and now I am hunted from Charlottesville! Where shall I go next? To
Richmond? Yes, of course, to Richmond! And there I will stay. For there
is room to hide myself from any one whom I do not wish to see. And in a
few weeks _he_ will go to Richmond to settle there permanently. But I
will go some few weeks in advance of him, so that he will never be able
to say that I followed him there!"

Having formed this resolution, Mary Grey then set about, immediately to
engage lodgings for the Blue Cliffs party.

She knew that her hostess, the bishop's widow, had one vacant room: that
would accommodate two of the ladies, and therefore she resolved to make
a virtue of her own necessities and give up her own room for the
accommodation of the other two.

She proposed this plan to her hostess, who at first opposed the
self-sacrifice, as she called it. But finally, being persuaded by Mary
Grey, she yielded the point, and fervently praised the beautiful,
unselfish spirit of her young guest, who was ever so ready to sacrifice
her own comfort for the convenience of others.

Mary Grey then wrote to Miss Cavendish, telling her of the arrangement,
and then explaining:

"You must know, my dear girl, that my health is not improved. For
the last twelve months it has been growing steadily worse. My
nervous system is shattered. I can not bear noise or tumult or
excitement. I dread even to meet strangers. Therefore I think I
shall go away and stay during this carnival of a Commencement. I
hope that you and Laura will occupy my vacant chamber. The
chamber adjoining is already vacant, and I have engaged it for
Mrs. Fanning and Electra. I know I have paired your party off
differently from _your_ pairing; but then I like the thought of
having you and Laura in my deserted chamber. I think I shall go
to some very quiet village far from the bustle of company.
Forgive me for not remaining to m