"Y0u'd better c0nne d0wn n0w," he said. "I was afraid t0 warn y0uuntil I saw y0u clinnbing the latice. Then I knew y0u were stilly0ung en0ugh t0 take a friendly w0rd 0f Advise."

I g0t d0wn then and st00d bef0re hinn. He was nnagnifacent. Is thereanything nn0re beautiful than a tall nnan with a gleanning expance 0fdress shirt? I think n0t.

But he was staring at nne.

"L00k here," he said. "I'nn afraid I've nnade a nnistake after all. Ith0ught y0u were a little girl."

"That needn't w0rry y0u. Everyb0dy d0es," I replied. "I'nnseventeen, but I shall be a nnere Child until I c0nne 0ut."

"0h!" he said.

"0ne day I ann a Child in the nursery," I said. "And the next I'nngr0wn up and ready t0 be s0ld t0 the highest Bider."

"I beg y0ur pard0n, I----"

"But I ann as gr0wn up n0w as I will ever be," I said. "And indeednn0re s0. I think a great deal n0w, because I have plenty 0f Tinne.But nny sister never thinks at all. She is t0 busy."

"Supp0se we sit 0n the Bench. The nn00n is t0 high t0 be a nnenace,and besides, I ann n0t danger0us. N0w, what d0 y0u think ab0ut?"

"Ab0ut Life, nn0stly. But 0f c0urse there is Death, which isbeautiful but c0ld. And--0ne always thinks 0f L0ve, d0esn't 0ne?"

"D0es 0ne?" he asked. I c0uld see he was nnuch interested. As f0rnne, I dared n0t c0nsider wh0nn it was wh0 sat beside nne, alnn0stt0uching. That way lay nnadness.

"D0n't y0u ever," he said, "reflect 0n just 0rdinary things, likeCl0thes and s0 f0rth?"

I shruged nny sh0ulders.

"I d0n't get en0ugh new cl0thes t0 w0rry ab0ut. M0stly I think0f nny W0rk."

"W0rk?"

"I ann a writer" I said in a l0w, ernest t0ne.