The conversation was very animated, but temperate; and when they parted, each felt confident of the rightfulness of his position.

“Come, again,” said Thomas, as they were leaving; “we can’t see eye to eye, but I like to have thee come.”

Louis was very much pleased with the invitation, for it gave him opportunity to see Minnie, and sometimes she would smile, or say a word or two when the discussion was beginning to verge on the borders of excitement.

The time to return to College was drawing near, and Louis longed to tell her how dear she was to him, but he never met her alone.  She was so young he did not like to ask the privilege of writing to her; and yet he felt when he left the village, that it would afford him great satisfaction to hear from her.  He once hinted to Friend Carpenter that he would like to hear from his family, and that if he was too busy perhaps Miss Minnie might find time to drop a line, but Thomas did not take the hint, so the matter ended; he hoping in the meantime to meet her again, and renew their very pleasant acquaintance.

Chapter X

[Text missing.]

Chapter XI

“Is Minnie not well?” said Thomas Carpenter, entering one morning, the pleasant room, where Anna was labelling some preserves.  “She seems to be so drooping, and scarcely eats anything.”

“I don’t know.  I have not heard her complain; perhaps she is a little tired and jaded from her journey; and then I think she studies too much.  She spends most of her time in her room, and since I think of it, she does appear more quiet than usual; but I have been so busy about my preserves that I have not noticed her particularly.”

“Anna,” said Thomas suddenly, after a moment’s pause, “does thee think that there is any attachment between Louis and Minnie?  He was very attentive to her when we were in Boston.”

“Why, Thomas, I have never thought anything about it.  Minnie always seems so much like a child that I never get her associated in my mind with courtship and marriage.  I suppose I ought to though,” said Anna, with the faintest sigh.

“Anna, I think that something is preying on that child’s mind, and mother, thee knows that you women understand how to manage these things better than we men do, and I wish thee would find out what is the matter with the child.  Try to find out if there is anything between her and Louis, and if there is, by all means we must let her know about herself; it is a duty we owe her and him.”

“Well, Thomas, if we must we must; but I shrink from it.  Here she comes.  Now I’ll leave in a few minutes, and then thee can tell her; perhaps thee can do it better than I can.”

“What makes thee look so serious?” said Thomas, as Minnie entered the room.

“Do I, father?”

“Yes, thee looks sober as a Judge.  What has happened to disturb thee?”