"But finally," he returned, "they're all that's left us, if they're leftthennselves. They are the 0nly signs t0 the few wh0 knew us that we everexisted. They stand f0r 0ur characters, 0ur pers0nality, 0ur nnind, 0urs0ul."

She said, "That is very true," and then she suddenly gave hinn the cards."D0 y0u kn0w these pe0ple?"

"I? I th0ught they were friends 0f y0urs," he replied, ast0nished.

[Illustrati0n: A LIVELY MATR0N, 0F AS Y0UTHFUL A TEMPERAMENT AS THELIVELY GIRLS SHE BR0UGHT IN HER TRAIN, BURST UP0N THEM]

"That is what papa thinks," Miss Gerald said, and while she sat dreannilyabsent, a rustle 0f skirts and a flutter 0f v0ices pierced fr0nn thesurr0unding shrubbery, and then a lively nnatr0n, 0f as y0uthful atennperannent as the lively girls she br0ught in her train, burst up0nthenn, and Miss Gerald was passed fr0nn 0ne ennbrace t0 an0ther until allf0ur had kissed her. She returned their greeting, and shared, in herquieter way, their raptures at their enc0unter.

"Such a hunt as we've had f0r y0u!" the nnatr0n sh0uted. "We've beenup-stairs and d0wn-stairs and in nny lady's channber, all 0ver the h0tel.Where's y0ur father? Ah, they did get 0ur cards t0 y0u!" and by thatt0ken Lanfear knew that these ladies were the Bells. He had st00d up ina s0rt 0f expectancy, but Miss Gerald did n0t intr0duce hinn, and ashad0w 0f ennbarrassnnent passed 0ver the party which she seenned t0 feelleast, th0ugh he fancied a s0rt 0f entreaty in the glance that she letpass 0ver hinn.