"We came two days ago. You have heard of us, then--you believe in us?"

"We have known, vaguely," said Gertrude, "that we had relations in
France."

"And have you ever wanted to see us?" asked the young man.

Gertrude was silent a moment. "I have wanted to see you."

"I am glad, then, it is you I have found. We wanted to see you, so we
came."

"On purpose?" asked Gertrude.

The young man looked round him, smiling still. "Well, yes; on purpose.
Does that sound as if we should bore you?" he added. "I don't think we
shall--I really don't think we shall. We are rather fond of wandering,
too; and we were glad of a pretext."

"And you have just arrived?"

"In Boston, two days ago. At the inn I asked for Mr. Wentworth. He must
be your father. They found out for me where he lived; they seemed often
to have heard of him. I determined to come, without ceremony. So, this
lovely morning, they set my face in the right direction, and told me to
walk straight before me, out of town. I came on foot because I wanted to
see the country. I walked and walked, and here I am! It 's a good many
miles."

"It is seven miles and a half," said Gertrude, softly. Now that this