Lonely and long seemed the hours to poor Carrie; for though Walter came, he stayed but two days, and spent a part of that time at the mill-pond cottage.
The evening after he went away, as Carrie lay, half-dozing, thinking of Mag, and counting the weary days which must pass ere her return, she was startled by the sound of Lenora's voice in the room opposite, the door of which was ajar.

Lenora had been absent a few days, and Carrie was about calling to her, when some words spoken by her stepmother arrested her attention, and roused her curiosity.

They were, "You think too little of yourself, Lenora.

Now, I know there is nothing in the way of your winning Walter, if you choose." "I should say there was everything in the way," answered Lenora.

"In the first place, there is Kate Kirby, and who, after seeing her handsome face, would ever look at such a black, turned-up nose, bristle-headed thing as I am?
But I perceive there is some weighty secret on your mind, so what is it?
Have Walter and Kate quarreled, or have you told him some falsehood about her ?" "Neither," said Mrs.Hamilton.