Cousin Madelon has been reading French
with me, and giving me music-lessons. We had a pic-nic in the
woods last week, and my holidays begin to-morrow. I wish you
would come back, Uncle Horace, and then we could have some fun
before Cousin Madelon goes away. I wish she would never go,
but stay here always, as Maria used. I have been reading some
of your book; mamma said I might, and I like it very much.
Mamma sends her love, and I am
"Your affectionate niece,
"Madge Vavasour."
"Mamma says that she received yesterday the note that I
enclose, and that she sends it to you to read."
The note was from Maria Leslie, and was dated from a country-
town whither she had gone to stay with some friends, shortly
after Graham's departure from Ashurst.
"Dearest Georgie,
"I feel that you are the first person to whom I should write
the news that I am engaged to be married to Mr. Norris. He has
just had the offer of a living in the north, and lost no time
in coming to tell me of his prospects, and to invite me to
share them. To you, who know him so well, I need say nothing
of my own great happiness.
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