Amy smiled, and Mrs. Linchmore continued, "Did you ever leave home before for so long a time?" "Never. My mother and I had never been parted until I came here." "You must have felt it very much. I trust Mrs. Neville is well?" "No. I regret to say I am not quite satisfied with my mother. I do not see any very material change, neither can I say she is ill, but I notice a difference somewhere. I fear she frets a great deal, she is so much alone." "But your sister?" "She is too young to be much of a companion to mamma, and I think tries her a great deal. She has been rather a spoilt child, being so much younger than I." "Younger children always are spoilt. Have you no friends besides Mrs. Elrington?" "Yes; several very kind ones: there are many nice people living near, but none like clear, good Mrs. Elrington; she is so true, so unselfish, so kind, and devotes a great deal of her time to mamma." "Does she notice any change in your Mother?" "She assured me not. But then they meet so constantly, she would not be likely to notice it so much as I, who only see her seldom. She has promised to let me know if she does see any alteration for the worse, so with that I must rest satisfied, and hope all is well, unless I hear to the contrary." "How is Mrs. Elrington?" "Quite well, thank you, and looks much the same." "She asked about me, of course?" and Mrs. Linchmore half averted her face from Amy's gaze. "Yes, often; and as she has not seen you for so many years, I had much to tell her. She seemed pleased to hear of the children, and asked a great many questions about them." "You _thought_ she seemed pleased to hear about them. I suspect curiosity had a great deal to do with it, if not all. You will grow wiser some day, Miss Neville, and learn to distinguish the true from the false--friends from foes," and Mrs. Linchmore's eyes flashed. "Did you give her my message, the kind remembrances I sent her, with the hope that--that she had not forgotten me? Did she send no message in return?" The question was sternly asked; Amy hesitated what to say. What was the mysterious connection between the two? and why was it Mrs. Linchmore never spoke of Mrs. Elrington without a touch of anger or bitterness? even the latter, who seemed ever careful of wounding the feelings of others, never spoke of Mrs. Linchmore in a friendly manner, though she appeared to know or have known her well at some earlier period of life. The question embarrassed Amy, "I was so hurried," said she, "in coming away that I forgot--I mean she forgot--."