At length she was gone, and Aunt Sophie returned to the parlor.
“Wasn’t that a surprise?” inquired Aunt Sophie, gleefully, as she re-entered the room.
“Yes; quite a surprise,” assented Lilith.
“And now I have got another for you: John Moore has gone off to be married. The wedding is to be to-morrow, at the bride’s mother’s house, in Springfield. And he is to bring his wife home on Saturday, and take her straight to the parsonage, which is all ready. And I have fixed up his room for you. You can have it at once. Ah! if you were only going to stay I could make you so comfortable!” said Aunt Sophie, with a deep sigh.
“Dear friend, I would like to stay with you, but you know that I cannot; I must take the employment that is offered me,” gently replied Lilith.
“Yes, I know. Some of these days you will come back, though, and I hope I shall live to see you, and if so, you must come straight home to me, dear, do you hear?”
“Yes, Aunt Sophie; and I certainly will come to you first of all, if we both live,” said Lilith.
And then the entrance of other persons ended their tête-à-tête.
The next day Lilith went to see the baroness, and was received with even more kindness than on the former occasions. But she declined an invitation to stay to lunch.
When she returned home Aunt Sophie met her with a smile, and put two cards in her hands, saying: