“Yes:  I told him to write to me once in every month, and he is very punctual.”

She opened the letter, and read aloud:—­“Dear Mrs. Legrange,—­

“Since writing to you last month, I have been going on with my studies under the Rev. Mr. Brown, as I then mentioned.  I do not find that it hurts me to study in the hot weather at all; and I have enjoyed my vacation better this way than if I had been idle.

“Part of the month, however, Mr. Brown has been away on a visit to some friends in Iowa; and he says so much about the prairies, and the great rivers, and the wild life out there, that I think I should like to take the two remaining weeks of the vacation, and go and see them, if you have no objection.  I have a great plenty of money from my last quarter’s allowance, as I have only needed to spend a dollar and forty-five cents.  Mr. Brown thinks I should come back fresher to my studies for a little rest; though I do not feel the need of it, and am glad of every day’s new chance of learning.

“I hope you will excuse me, Mrs. Legrange, if it is too bold for me to say, but I do wish you could talk with Mr. Brown a little; he is so high in all his ideas, and seems to feel so strong about all the troubles of this world, and puts what a man ought to live for so much above the way he has to live!

“I took the liberty of talking with him about you, and about the great trouble I had helped to bring upon you; and what he said was first-rate, though I cannot tell it again.  I felt ever so much better about my own doing wrong, and I could not help wishing you could hear what he said about you.

“This place is a great resort for invalids, and people who like to be retired.  The iron-springs, that give the name to the town, are said to be very strengthening; and the Neff House, near them, is a beautiful hotel in very romantic scenery, and quite still.  It seems to me that the ladies I see riding out from it on horseback get healthier-looking every day.

“I enclose a letter for mother, and will ask of you the favor to read it to her.  I cannot tell you, Mrs. Legrange, how grateful I feel to you for making her so comfortable, as well as for what you are doing for me.  And it is not only you I thank and remember every morning and every night; but, with yours, I say the name of the angel that we both love so dear.  “Yours respectfully, “Theodore Ginniss.”

Mrs. Legrange slowly folded the letter, and looked at her husband, saying dreamily,—­

“I should like to see this Mr. Brown.  Perhaps he has some comfort for me; and that was what I felt approaching in that letter.”

Mr. Legrange smiled a little compassionately, and more than a little tenderly.

“I am afraid, love, you would be disappointed.  A man might seem a marvel of eloquence and wisdom to poor Theodore, while you would find him a very commonplace, perhaps obtrusive individual.”