It was long after mid-day when Ellen rose from her knees. Her passion was all gone; she felt more gentle and pleasant than she had done for days; but at the bottom of her heart resentment was not all gone. She still thought she had cause to be angry, and she could not think of her aunt's look and tone without a thrill of painful feeling. In a very different mood, however, from that in which she had flown upstairs two or three hours before, she now came softly down and went out by the front door to avoid meeting her aunt. She had visited that morning a little brook which ran through the meadow on the other side of the road. It had great charms for her; and now crossing the lane and creeping under the fence, she made her way again to its banks. At a particular spot, where the brook made one of its sudden turns, Ellen sat down upon the grass and watched the dark water--whirling, brawling over the stones, hurrying past her with ever the same soft, pleasant sound, and she was never tired of it. She did not hear footsteps drawing near, and it was not till some one was close beside her, and a voice spoke almost in her ears, that she raised her startled eyes and saw the little girl who had come the evening before for a pitcher of milk. "What are you doing?" said the latter. "I'm watching for fish," said Ellen. "Watching for fish!" said the other, rather disdainfully. "Yes," said Ellen; "there, in that little quiet place they come sometimes. I've seen two." "You can look for fish another time. Come now and take a walk with me." "Where?" said Ellen. "Oh, you shall see. Come! I'll take you all about and show you where people live. You ha'n't been anywhere yet, have you?" "No," said Ellen, "and I should like dearly to go, but----" She hesitated. Her aunt's words came to mind, that this was not a good girl, and that she must have nothing to do with her; but she had not more than half believed them, and she could not possibly bring herself now to go in and ask Miss Fortune's leave to take this walk. "I am sure," thought Ellen, "she would refuse me if there was no reason in the world." And then the delight of rambling through the beautiful country and being for awhile in other company than that of her Aunt Fortune and the old grandmother! The temptation was too great to be withstood. "Well, what are you thinking about?" said the girl. "What's the matter? Won't you come?" "Yes," said Ellen, "I'm ready. Which way shall we go?"