"John, may I invite Miss Webster to be with me when baby is born?" she said to her husband, and John Temple immediately assented. "Of course, my dear, invite whoever you like," he answered, kindly. "Yes, I think Miss Webster would be a very good person for you to have with you; she is a motherly woman, though she has never been a mother." "Thank you, dear John," replied May; "I shall be so glad if she will come." "It's strange Webster will never come here," went on John Temple; "I've asked him three times, you know, May." "He's such a busy man, I suppose; then I will write to Miss Webster to-day, John." And May did write, and Miss Webster accepted the invitation. Both the sisters had been previously asked to Woodlea, but an illness of Miss Eliza's had prevented their going. Now, however, Miss Eliza was well enough to be left, and Miss Webster wrote that she looked forward with sincere pleasure "again to kiss the sweet face" she "so often thought of." May also was truly delighted to see once more the kindly woman under whose hospitable roof she had once spent such bright hours of hope and happiness. She drove to the station to meet Miss Webster. She showed her, with modest pride, all the tiny treasures she had prepared, and in which Mrs. Temple had no interest. "And how is Mr. Webster?" she asked, shortly after Miss Webster arrived. "Oh, Ralph is very well, I think, and desired to be remembered to you. But he works too hard, I tell him; he is rising rapidly at the bar, and has more briefs offered to him than he can possibly accept. And I believe he is going to try to get into Parliament at the next election." "I am very glad," said May, quietly. But she sighed softly as she turned away. She was thinking of Ralph Webster, and her great debt to him which she could never pay. But a day or two after Miss Webster's arrival at the Hall, something so terrible occurred that for many weeks May's life was as a bewildered dream. It happened so suddenly that the blow fell with crushing force, and it was well for May that she had by her side one so sincere and faithful as her old friend. They had all lunched together, and John Temple had been in one of his brightest moods. He was going to ride after lunch, and when his horse came round May followed him into the hall to see him mount. And as she stood there--looking a little wan perhaps, but with her sweet, serene face raised to his--a sudden impulse of affection induced John Temple to stoop down and kiss her. "Take care of yourself, little woman," he said; "I'm so glad you have Miss Webster with you." May smiled, and thus they parted. She was feeling a little tired, and Miss Webster therefore advised her to go to her room and lie down, and in a little while she fell into a placid sleep.