On Miss Pemberton's return to Downside, while seated at their tea-table, Miss Mary gave her a description of her young visitor of the morning, and told her of the proposal she was anxious to make about her. "I should just like to see the little girl," said Miss Pemberton. "If she is really as the dame supposes, of gentle birth, it would be undoubtedly right to try and give her some of the advantages of which she has been deprived. At the same time we should be cautious--perhaps the dame may have been mistaken, and it will be unnecessary, if not imprudent, to try and raise her above the position in which she was born, unless she possesses qualities calculated to make her happier and better in a higher station." "Well, Jane, I could only form an opinion from her sweet voice and from what she said. Adam Halliburt and his wife are devotedly fond of her, and do you not think that we may help them by judicious training." "Well, Mary, I see that you are determined to think highly of the child, and unless we find that you are mistaken, I shall be very glad to see her as often as her worthy protectors will allow her to come," said Miss Pemberton. "I trust that it will be found that I am right in my opinion of the sweet little girl," said Miss Mary, nodding her head and smiling. "I can always judge best of people by their voices, and I detected in her's that true tone which can only proceed from a true heart." "Well, well, we shall see, and I hope that my opinion will agree with your's, Mary," observed Miss Pemberton. Next morning Mistress Halliburt arrived with Maiden May. The little girl was scrupulously clean and neatly dressed, though her garments were befitting a fisherman's daughter of plain and somewhat coarse materials, except that she wore the unusual addition of shoes and stockings. "I have brought our little maiden to you, ladies, as you desired, and if you will please to tell me how long you wish to keep her, I will send my Jacob up to fetch her away at the proper time," said the dame as she entered the hall into which the Miss Pemberton's had come out to meet their young guest. Miss Pemberton scanned her narrowly with her keen grey eyes before replying. "Good morning, my dear," said Miss Mary, "come and shake hands." May ran forward and placed her hand trustfully in that of the blind lady. "May I lead you about the garden as I did yesterday, Miss Mary," she asked, "and tell you of the birds, and butterflies, and flowers I see? I shall like it so much." Miss Mary smiled and nodded her consent to the proposal. "Thank you, thank you," exclaimed Maiden May. "You need not send for the child till the evening, Mrs Halliburt," said Miss Jane, who had been watching May. "We shall not grow tired of her I think, and she, I hope, will be happy here."