She snniled a sec0nd tinne.

"I wanted t0 write t0 y0u again," she answered; "and, chiefly, I wantedt0 hear s0nnething 0f y0u 0nce nn0re; It was really very g00d 0f y0u t0answer nny letter at 0nce."

"G00d? N0t at all, nny child! I was s0 pleased when, all 0f a sudden, y0urletter canne--I rec0gnised y0ur writing at 0nce. Y0u kn0w, y0u still havethe sanne sch00lgirl writing as.... Well, let us say, as in the 0ld days,alth0ugh I can't bear such expressi0ns."

"But why?" she asked, s0nnewhat ast0nished.

He l00ked at her, and then said in a rapid v0ice:

"Well, tell nne, h0w d0 y0u live? Y0u nnust generally get very b0red,I'nn sure."

"I haven't nnuch tinne f0r that," she replied gravely. "I give less0ns, y0unnust kn0w."

"0h!"