Linda receives a letter urging her to come "home," purportedly written by Emily Flint's brother. She recognizes the letter as being from Dr. Flint. She does not respond, and soon thereafter receives another letter from a friend, informing her of Dr. Flint's plans to visit the North. Determined to avoid him, Linda tells Mrs. Bruce she needs two weeks off to attend to urgent business in Boston.
Upon arriving in Boston, she writes to her grandmother and asks her to send her son, Ben, to Boston instead of New York. Several days later, she reunites with her son. Meanwhile, Linda learns that Dr. Flint is in New York looking for her. As soon as she hears that he has gone, she leaves Ben with her brother William and returns to New York.
