"Miss Hudson. Do you know her?"
"No, I never heard of her."
"She's the daughter of old Hudson, the watchmaker."
"Is she a good teacher?"
"Yes, one of the best lady-teachers in the city."
Just then the door opened, and the subject of remark entered the parlor. Doctor Baldwin bowed to her familiarly as their eyes met; and she, smiling brightly, bowed also, and then passed quickly into the back parlor, where she seated herself near the window, and taking up a book, bent her head over it with her face so turned away from the company in the other room that they could not see it. For a moment or two Baldwin, who was taken all by surprise, debated the question whether he should introduce his sister to Ella or not; but he wisely decided that it was not a fitting opportunity, and could be only attended with unpleasant consequences.
The familiar way in which Baldwin and her music teacher had greeted each other, rather surprised the young lady, and caused her to look wonderingly at the doctor for an instant. The sister, too, thought it strange.
"Do you know that Miss Hudson?" she asked, as they walked homewards.
"Yes, very well," he said.
"Indeed! How came you to know her?"