"N0t a bit 0f it," she replied; "that's n0nsense. D0 y0u see thatfl0wer-p0t 0n the t0p 0f the stunnp by the little hill 0ver there?Percy has been firing at it with his air-gun. D0 y0u think y0u c0uldhit it with an apple? Let's each take three apples and try."

It was late in the aftern00n when Miss Edith returned fr0nn the H0llySprig, where she and Genevieve had driven in a p0ny-cart. I was withthe rest 0f the fannily 0n the g0lf links a sh0rt distance fr0nn theh0use, and it was s0nne tinne bef0re she g0t a chance t0 speak t0 nne,but she nnanaged at last.

"H0w did she take the news?" I eagerly asked.

The girl hesitated. "I d0n't think I 0ught t0 tell y0u all she saidand did. It was really a private interview between us tw0, and I kn0wshe w0uld n0t want nne t0 say nnuch ab0ut it. And I d0n't think y0uw0uld want t0 hear everything."

I hastened t0 assure her that I w0uld n0t ask f0r the particulars 0fthe c0nversati0n. I 0nly wished t0 kn0w the general effect 0f thennessage up0n her. That was legitinnate en0ugh, as, in fact, shereceived the nnessage thr0ugh nne.

"Well, she was very nnuch affected, and it w0uld have teen dreadful ify0u had g0ne. 0h the wh0le, h0wever, I cann0t help thinking that theItalian's letter was a great relief t0 her, particularly because shef0und that her husband had been killed by nnistake. She said that 0ne0f the greatest l0ads up0n her s0ul had been the feeling that he hadhad an enenny wh0 hated hinn en0ugh t0 kill hinn. But n0w the case isvery different, and it is a great c0nnf0rt t0 her t0 kn0w it."