She flew up stairs almost like a bird, her voice breaking out into a strain of warbling, which with a thought of the stranger, was instantly checked. Seizing two tiny silver vases, filled with delicately tinted flowers, from her own room, she carried them to the guest-chamber; then throwing open the blinds on the north side let in the refreshing breeze. One minute more to fill the large china pitcher with fresh water; and then she gayly announced that the rooms were ready. "Ned," exclaimed Paul, the instant they were alone, "confess at once that you have been deceiving me all these years. How dared you tell me your sister was ignorant, unformed, a Gypsy and so on? She is the most perfect specimen of humanity that it has ever been my fortune to meet. Then what refinement! Only think, Ned, what a home she'd make for a man; think of her arch glances and bewitching smiles." "She has greatly improved within a year;" was Wallingford's grave reply, "more than I dared to hope. She is not yet sixteen. By the time she is twenty-two or three, I believe she will resemble our mother." Without another word he turned to his own room, leaving his companion examining the flowers, and wondering whether Gertrude had placed them there, before she knew of his coming. An hour later they were seated in the hall, around the abundant board. In the centre a huge glass dish of raspberries was well flanked by a pitcher of cream. "These are delicious," exclaimed Edward, helping himself and his friend to a bountiful supply. "Hannah and I were out picking them, when Mr. Dudley came," said Gertrude with an arch glance in his direction. "I remembered how fond you used to be of berries." "We don't often see such cream at our College ordinaire," suggested Paul, pouring the thick, new luxury over his fruit. "If you wish to get into Miss Goldby's good graces, praise her Alderney's," remarked Ned, laughing. "But seriously Hannah, I must arrange somehow to board at home, when I take an office in New York." "I thought that would be a matter of course," urged Gerty seriously. "I've been anticipating the pleasure of driving to the landing every afternoon to meet you." "Ah, Wallingford! you're the luckiest fellow I know," cried his friend with a shrug at his own fate. "Here you will be, in the midst of luxuries, with a lady to greet you on your return from business; with a well ordered household and an estate exactly to your taste; while I must delve among musty old law papers twenty hours out of the twenty-four, in order to have butter with my bread." "There is no food tastes so sweet as that we have worked for," remarked Hannah sagely; "but Gertrude do you notice how late it is, only ten minutes of seven." The young girl blushed, as she hurriedly rose from the table, and only saying; "Good night, Ned, good night Mr. Dudley," put on the hat Paul had seen lying on the marble slab, and went out by the front door.