Mrs. Page promised herself to keep a sharp lookout in behalf of the young girl of whom she had assumed temporary charge. At the very first of those exclusive walks and sails which she foresaw, she meant to reason with her brother, and indirectly to warn Mildred of his idiosyncrasy. Her guest seemed wonderfully well-poised and self-possessed for a girl of her age. Doubtless she had already become accustomed to admiration; but Gorham’s attentions would be of an unusual sort. Mrs. Page meant to keep an eye on him. She was disappointed, however. The very day following, he mentioned his intention of returning to the city. "You must have known that I only came down to call on you," he replied to Hilda’s expressions of surprise and dismay. "After such a prolonged holiday as I have had, you surely didn’t suppose I was going to idle away more time here." "I think it is very shabby of you," pouted Mrs. Page, with no thought of her own inconsistency. "Miss Bryant and I need you to entertain us while Robert is away. Don’t we, Miss Bryant?" Mildred assented. "It is hard to be deprived of both Blitzen and Mr. Page," she said feelingly, and her hostess wished she had not appealed to her. Page regarded his sister thoughtfully. "Shall I send you some books?" he asked. "Miss Bryant said last night that she had not brought any books with her." "You needn’t trouble yourself," returned Hilda quickly. "His first symptom of interest," she noted mentally. "I know you," she added aloud. "The lightest entertainment we could hope for would be Buckle’s ’History of Civilization.’ No. Leave us if you must; but don’t send us any literature!" So he departed, and Mrs. Page was left to sound his praises instead of his defects, to her friend. After Mildred’s saucy speech, she was determined that the girl should appreciate how far above the common run of men this _rara avis_ of a brother was; and she rang the changes upon his high principle, his conscientiousness, his unselfishness, until the faint light of ironical amusement in her guest’s eyes arrested her. "I wouldn’t have you think Gorham a prig," she added hastily. "He is the furthest from it." Mildred’s week at the beach slipped quickly and pleasantly away, and then she was recalled to Pearfield by her sister, who wrote that Mr. Van Tassel felt so much stronger that he wished to return home at once. Mrs. Page received one letter from the girl, after they reached Chicago, descriptive of the journey, and the parting from Pearfield. Blitzen, she said, they were obliged to leave behind, as on the day of departure he was nowhere to be found. Humiliating as it was to confess it, they all believed he had heard the plans for his removal, and had gone into hiding. September passed and October was nearly gone, when one morning as he opened his mail in his office, Gorham Page found a letter from his cousin Jack.