It had been to young Allan that Aunt Achsa had carried the letter that the baker brought so unexpectedly to the door. Joe had lingered on the doorstep, but had not been rewarded by any hint of its contents. Achsa could not remember when she had had a letter before. She fingered the envelope apprehensively. Yet it could scarcely be bad news of any sort, for there was just herself and Lavender and he was only down in the flats. No one would write anything about _him_. "Read it--my eyes ain't certain with folk's writing," she had begged Dugald Allan, in a shaky voice. Thereupon he had read aloud Sidney's letter. "I never!" "I swan!" "Why, that's Annie Green's girl--Annie was Jon'than's daughter--I rec'lect her when she wasn't much bigger than a pint of cider." Achsa Green fluttered with excitement like a quivering brown leaf caught in a sudden stir of wind. "And the little thing says she knows all about me. Heard her folks tell. Well, well, I wouldn't 'a said there was a God's soul knew about Achsa Green outside this harbor! The little pretty. And her ma's dead--died when she was a baby, poor little mite. Sidney--that's not a Cape name. Like as not they got it from the other side. Well, Uncle Jon'than allas was diff'runt--he was for books and learnin' and was a peaked sort, as I rec'lect him--He was consid'rable younger than Pa!" During Achsa's excited soliloquy Dugald Allan had an opportunity to reread the letter. He smiled broadly over the reading. But his smile changed to a quick frown as he observed the signature. For a brief second he pondered over it, then by a shake of his head seemed to dismiss some thought. "What are you going to tell her?" he asked Achsa Green. "Will you let her come on?" Achsa Green started. She had not thought of the real business of the letter. "Why, I don't know. It's a poor place for a young girl--" "Don't talk like that, Aunt Achsa. Haven't I told you this is the only corner of the earth where God's air is sweet--and untainted?" Achsa Green could only understand what her Mr. Dugald meant by the expression of his eyes. Now, they encouraged her. "I might fix up the downstairs bedroom. It ain't been used except to store things since Lavender was born in there and his ma was taken out in a box, but I don't know but that I could fix it up suit'ble; a young girl ain't so finicky as grownups. If you won't mind havin' a young piece 'round--" uncertainly.