Mrs. Lee paused a moment with her eyes closed. Then starting as if from sleep, she almost cried out,-- "There was a woman in the room--in the bed--a beautiful woman. The ruffles of her night-gown were open at the throat, the sleeves were broad and loose; you could see her arms almost to the shoulders. She wore no cap, and her hair fell in bright, heavy coils down to her waist. She had something in her hand; don't speak, I shall remember in a minute: the color was rich. It was, yes, it was half a peach, with the brown stone partly bedded in the centre; the fragrance of it hung about the basket of roses." "And you saw all this, dear lady?" I exclaimed, startled by the reality of her picture, which, as a whole, I recognized far more closely than Jessie could. "In my dream, yes; but one fancies such strange things when asleep, you know, dear Miss Hyde." "Strange, very strange," murmured Jessie; "but for the basket of roses and the fruit, we might have recognized the picture. Don't you think so, Aunt Matty?" "Did you get a look at the lady's face?" I inquired, suppressing Jessie's question. "No, no; I think not. The thick hair shaded it, but the arms and neck were white as lilies. She had bitten the peach; I remember seeing marks of her teeth on one side. Strange, isn't it, how real such fancies will seem?" "It is, indeed, strange," I said, feeling cold chills creeping over me. "Besides," continued the invalid, while a scarcely perceptible shiver disturbed her, "notwithstanding the freshness and beauty of everything, I felt oppressed in that room--just as flowers may be supposed to grow faint when vipers creep over them; the air seemed close till I got to your chamber, Jessie." "And there?" said the sweet girl, kissing her mother's hand again. "There, the angel that had been a cloud took form again. It beckoned me--beckoned me--I cannot tell where; but you were sleeping, I know that." "It was a strange dream," said Jessie, thoughtfully. "The impression was very strong," answered the mother, drawing a hand across her eyes,--"so powerful that it tired me. This morning it seemed as if I had been on a journey." "But you are better now," I said; "this sense of fatigue is wearing off, I hope." "Oh, yes!" she answered, languidly. "And you will be well enough to see Mrs. Dennison before dinner, I hope," whispered Jessie. "Perhaps, child." "Father will persuade you." "Where is your father, Jessie?" "Oh! somewhere about. On the front balcony, I believe, with Mrs. Dennison, who declares that she never will get tired of looking down the valley." "Yes, it is a lovely view. We used to sit on the balcony for hours--your father and I--but now--" Mrs. Lee turned away her face and shaded her eyes with one pale hand. I walked to the window and lifted the curtain; but there was a mist over my eyes, and I could not discern a feature of the landscape. CHAPTER XIV. INTRUSIVE KINDNESS.