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 on her couch; -- "I don't care if she is or no." "Ay, but you might care." "I don't know why," said Winnie. "How would you like to have a new sister one of these days? -- by and by?" "A sister?" Mrs. Nettley nodded. "A sister!" said Winnie. "How should I have a sister?" "Why such a thing might be," said Mrs. Nettley. "Did you never think of one of your brothers getting married?" "Winthrop won't!" said Winnie, -- "and I don't care what Rufus does." "What makes you think Winthrop won't?" "He won't!" said Winnie with flushing cheeks. "Wouldn't you be glad? You would like anything that would make him happy." "Happy!" said Winnie. -- "Glad! -- I do wish, Mrs. Nettley, you would go down stairs and leave me alone!"