In their intercourse with each other neither Mr. Hansford nor Mr. Pennington had spoken directly of their former place of residence. That Mr. Pennington was from New York Roger assumed, and that Mr. Hansford was from the vicinity of Boston Mr. Pennington knew, for the miners had told him as much. Of Aunt Phebe the miners knew nothing, and she might or might not have been a revelation to Mr. Pennington, for any surprise he expressed when told of her existence. He only said, “Were you ever in Oak City?” “Never,” Elithe replied, “but I wish I could go there. I’d like sometime to see the great world which lies east of here and is so different from this.” “Elithe,” Mr. Pennington said, with suppressed emotion. Then he remembered himself in time to keep back the words he had come so near speaking. “Give yourself to me and you shall see the world,” had trembled on his lips, but he did not say them. He had no home to take her to, or friends who would receive her if she would go with him, and if he had, her innocence and purity must not mate with him till he had purged himself from more than one evil spirit still lurking in his heart. “Did you speak to me?” Elithe asked, and he replied, “No, did I? If so, I’ve forgotten what I wished to say.” He was unfolding his own paper, the New York Times, and glancing up and down its columns. Seeing this, Elithe said no more to him until the Rectory was reached. Then she asked him to go in and offered him the Herald to look at, while she carried her aunt’s letter to her father and heard what was in it. He took the paper and, sitting down upon the porch steps, turned at once to the column headed “Affairs in Oak City.” The place was filling rapidly and the season bade fair to be gayer and more prosperous than it had been in years. The Ralstons had returned from Europe and would soon occupy their handsome house, which had been undergoing some repairs. Mrs. Percy and daughter had also returned from Europe, but were not yet in their cottage. There were rumors in the air of a wedding in high life, to come off during the summer. The names of the parties were for a time withheld. Miss Phebe Hansford had been giving her cottage a coat of fresh paint, which had greatly improved it, and the band had arrived and played every afternoon in the park in front of the Casino.