The day was so very beautiful, and Alice enjoyed the rare excursion so much, that they prolonged their walk. "Do you think I could walk out from Edinburgh, mother?" said Alice. "I should like so well to come and see Anne often; and, Anne, you will be dull alone." "But you will laugh at Miss Crankie, Alice," said Anne, smiling, "and so get into her bad graces." Alice laughed. "Is she not a very strange person?" "I have no doubt you will find her a kindly body," said Mrs. Aytoun; "But I hope Jacky's sense of the ludicrous is not so keen as her poetic feelings. You must take care of Jacky." "O, mamma," said Alice, "you don't know what a strange good girl Jacky is. People laugh at her, but she would not hurt any one's feelings." "You do Jacky justice, Alice," said Anne. "She _is_ a strange _good_ girl--she--" Anne paused suddenly, breathless and excited. Who was that tall, gaunt woman, walking thoughtfully with bent head and lingering foot step, over the sands? She seemed to have come from the spectral dark house, which Anne had noticed before, looming so drearily over the sunny waters. She raised her eyes as they met--the large, wistful, melancholy eyes fell upon Anne's face. It was the unknown relative of little Lilie--the passenger who, six months ago, had lingered to cast that same searching, woeful look upon the house of Merkland. Anne was startled and amazed. She thought the stranger seemed disturbed also. Her eyes appeared to dilate and grow keener as she looked earnestly at Anne, and then passed on. "Do you know that person?" said Mrs. Aytoun, wonderingly. Anne turned to look after her; instead of her former slow pace, her steps were now nervously quick and unsteady. Surely some unknown emotion strong and powerful, had risen in the stranger's breast from this meeting. Anne answered Mrs. Aytoun with an effort. "I do not know her--but I have seen her before--I met her once in Strathoran." They went on. Anne's mind was engrossed--she could not, as before, take part in the gay conversation of Alice. Mrs. Aytoun perceived her gravity. After some time, she asked again: "Do you know who she is? I see you are interested in her." "I do not know her at all," said Anne. "You will think me very foolish, Mrs. Aytoun, it is her look--her eyes--she has a very remarkable face." "Probably she lives here," said Mrs. Aytoun. "Let us look at this house." The house was no less spectral and gaunt, when they were near it, than at a distance. Many of the windows were closed--the large garden seemed perfectly neglected--only some pale spring flowers bloomed in front of a low projecting window, where there seemed to linger some remnants of cultivation. "It is a mysterious looking house," said Mrs. Aytoun; "she may keep it perhaps--but there certainly can be no family living here."