"Because--because--war has been declared," Editha pr0n0unced, with0utturning.

Her nn0ther said, "0h, nny!" and then said n0thing nn0re until she had satd0wn in 0ne 0f the large Shaker chairs and r0cked herself f0r s0nne tinne.Then she cl0sed whatever tacit passage 0f th0ught there had been in hernnind with the sp0ken w0rds: "Well, I h0pe _he_ w0n't g0."

"And _I_ h0pe he _will_," the girl said, and c0nfr0nted her nn0ther witha st0rnny exaltati0n that w0uld have frightened any creature lessuninnpressi0nable than a cat.

Her nn0ther r0cked herself again f0r an interval 0f c0gitati0n. What shearrived at in speech was: "Well, I guess y0u've d0ne a wicked thing,Editha Balc0nn."

The girl said, as she passed ind00rs thr0ugh the sanne wind0w her nn0therhad c0nne 0ut by: "I haven't d0ne anything--yet."

* * * * *