This last, modern teachers, having failed to regard it as a virtue, may well decline to regard as a duty; but he is a poor Christian indeed in whom joy has not at least a growing share, and Mary was not a poor Christian--at least, for the time she had been learning, and as Christians go in the present aeon of their history.

Her whole nature drew itself together, confronting the destroyer, whatever he might be, in possession of Letty.

How to help she could not yet tell, but sympathy was already at its work.
"You are not looking your best, Letty," she said, clasping her again in her arms.
With a little choking, Letty assured her she was quite well, only rather overcome with the pleasure of seeing her so unexpectedly.
"How is Mr.Helmer ?" asked Mary.
"Quite well--and very busy," answered Letty--a little hurriedly, Mary thought.

"-- But," she added, in a tone of disappointment, "you always used to call him Tom!" "Oh!" answered Mary, with a smile, "one must be careful how one takes liberties with married people.

A certain mysterious change seems to pass over some of them; they are not the same somehow, and you have to make your acquaintance with them all over again from the beginning." "I shouldn't think such people's acquaintance worth making over again," said Letty.
"How can you tell what it may be worth ?" said Mary, "-- they are so different from what they were?
Their friendship may now be one that won't change so easily." "Ah! don't be hard on me, Mary.