She almost started to see them--so near, and yet so far--like the memory of a sweet, sad story.
"Do you like my prospect ?" asked the voice of Hesper behind her.

"It is flat." "I like it much, Miss Mortimer," answered Mary, turning quickly with a bright face.

"Flatness has its own beauty.

I sometimes feel as if room was all I wanted; and of that there is so much there! You see over the tree-tops, too, and that is good--sometimes--don't you think ?" Miss Mortimer gave no other reply than a gentle stare, which expressed no curiosity, although she had a vague feeling that Mary's words meant something.

Most girls of her class would hardly have got so far.
The summer was backward, but the day had been fine and warm, and the evening was dewy and soft, and full of evasive odor.