"But I forget: you don't know who I am, of course," said the stranger smiling. "I am Amity—Amity Overbeck—your sister, you know. I am so glad you have come. Have you had your breakfast? But no, of course you haven't; you have just got up. Come this way, dear; I dare say your breakfast is all ready. Ma!" she called, opening a door and ushering Marion into a pretty sitting-room. "Ma, here's Marion."
"What liberties she takes!" thought Marion. "I wonder mother allows it, but I suppose she can't help it, poor thing."
Mrs. Van Alstine did not seem at all distressed by the liberty. She kissed Amity quite as heartily as she did Marion.
"I have been looking for you all the morning," said she. "Marie dear, you will want your breakfast, and Maggy has it all ready in the dining-room. Come this way; you will soon learn the geography of the house."
"Have you had your breakfast?" asked Marion, as she took her seat at the long, handsomely-appointed dining-table.
"Oh yes, hours ago. Tanners keep early hours you will find; quite as early as you have been used to at home. Amity, will you please speak to Maggy?"
Amity obeyed, setting down the covered dish she carried, which proved to contain some beautiful raspberries. A tempting breakfast was soon set before Marion, of which she was quite ready to partake. She drank her coffee and ate her dainty warm rolls, making her observations on the rooms and furniture while Amity took counsel with her mother over certain patterns and materials for children's wear, now and then including Marion in the conversation by some remark or question addressed to her.
"And where are the boys?" asked Amity. "Making the most of their holiday, I suppose, since school begins again on Monday. I shall not be sorry, for one. Where are they all?"
"Harry and Frank are down at the tannery helping their father. Bram is freezing the ice-cream just at this minute, and the little boys have gone over to the saw-mill on an errand. Do you think Helen will come to-day?"
"Unless something very unexpected happens. She hardly ever fails, you know. You have not seen Mrs. Andrews, Marion. I hope you will like her; everybody does."