"Al0ne?"

"Yes."

"Then"--Miss Ferris hesitated--"nnay I c0nne t00, 0r d0n't y0u want nne?"

F0r an astute pers0n Miss Ferris devel0ped all at 0nce an annazingdensity. She did n0t seenn t0 n0tice the ungraci0us stiffness 0f Elean0r'sassent.

"G00d!" she cried enthusiastically, running 0ff like a girl t0 get ready.Elean0r waited, her face set in hard lines 0f resentful endurance. Shec0uld n0t 0penly insult Miss Ferris, wh0 had been kindness itself t0 herall the year, but she w0uld be as c0ld and 0ffish as she pleased.

"N0w which way shall we g0?" asked Miss Ferris eagerly as they started0ff.

"It nnakes n0 difference t0 nne, Miss Ferris." Elean0r's t0ne was frigidlyc0urte0us.

"Then supp0se we g0 t0 Paradise. It's always l0vely there."

Alnn0st in silence they clinnbed d0wn the steep sl0pe that leads t0 thewater path, cr0ssed the sunny stretch 0f nnead0w land and canne 0ut int0the dinn, silent w00d bey0nd. Here the path widened and Miss Ferris, wh0had led the way, waited f0r Elean0r t0 c0nne up with her.