"She is sure to be right," thought the doctor as he read his sister's letter, so he called on Mrs. King and told her that it would be advisable now for her to visit her niece, but he asked her to make this first visit a very short one, merely to run down one afternoon and return the next morning, then, if the effect on the girl was satisfactory, the visits could be frequent and of longer duration. Catherine was of course overjoyed at the prospect of again seeing her darling, and arranged to go to the cottage on the following evening. So the next morning's post brought Mrs. White a letter announcing this fact. She went out upon the lawn with Mary after breakfast with the intention of breaking this news to her. Mrs. White had never been able to quite make out what were the exact feelings between Mrs. King and her niece. Mary always exhibited a strange dislike to speaking about her aunt. She never voluntarily introduced her into the conversation. She seemed troubled when questioned about her; and yet, on the rare occasions when the girl was more communicative than usual on this subject, she always spoke of Catherine King in terms of the highest praise. She evidently entertained a great admiration and love for her. "Mary," said Mrs. White when they were upon the lawn, "I have good news for you, your aunt is coming to see you." Mary clapped her hands with childish joy, "Oh! I am so glad," she exclaimed. "I have so looked forward to this. I have been waiting so long; I thought I should never be allowed to see her." "She is coming this evening and will stay till to-morrow morning, so you will be able to have a long talk with her." Mary stood still and her brow became clouded. "Yes, I have much to talk to my aunt about," she said, slowly. "You never speak to me about her, dear. I should like to know her better. She must be very fond of you." "She likes me much better than I deserve," replied Mary, sadly. "I have been very ungrateful to her." Mrs. White, who was too true a woman not to suffer from curiosity, after a little thought said: "My brother tells me that Mrs. King has some rather startling political and social theories." "She has," replied Mary, rather curtly. A long pause followed. "Has she succeeded in converting you to her views?" then inquired Mrs. White. A look of distress came to Mary's face. "I don't know," she cried, in an excited, nervous way. "Don't ask me now about those things, dear Mrs. White. I am too ill to think." She passed her hand across her forehead as if to wipe away some painful vision. Mrs. White took the girl's hand tenderly in hers. "Forgive me, Mary dear," she said. "It is cruel of me to worry you with inquisitive questions; but I will be good now." The little woman reproached herself bitterly for having so thoughtlessly caused the girl pain, and turned the conversation into another channel.