at the airiness which, to-day, she could not command. "And you
didn't say. I guess you haven't looked at it. You're in such a hurry."

Maurice turned his head; but he did not see the hat. Instead, he
mentally answered a question Louise had put to him the day before, and
which he had then not known how to meet. Yes, Ephie was pretty,
radiantly pretty, with the fresh, unsullied charm of a flower just
blown.

"Joan was so stupid about it," she went on at random; her face still
wore its uncertain smile. "She said it was overtrimmed, and top-heavy,
and didn't become me. As if she ever wore anything that suited her! But
Joan is an old maid. She hasn't a scrap of taste. And as for you,
Maurice, why I just don't believe you know one hat from another. Men
are so stupid."

Again they went forward in silence.

"You are tiresome to-day," she said at length, and looked at him with a
touch of defiance, as a schoolgirl looks at the master with whom she
ventures to remonstrate.

"Yes, I'm a dull companion."

"Knowing it doesn't make it any better."

But she was not really cross; all other feelings were swallowed up by
the uneasiness she felt at his manner of treating her.

"Where are we going?" she suddenly demanded of him, with a little quick
upward note in her voice. "This is not the way to the SCHEIBENHOLZ."

"No." He had been waiting for the question. "Ephie,"--he cleared his
throat anew. "I am taking you to see a friend--of mine."

"Is that what you brought me out for? Then you didn't want to speak to
me, as you said? Then we're not going for a walk?"

"Afterwards, perhaps. It's like this. Some one I know has been very
ill. Now that she is getting better, she needs rousing and cheering up,
and that kind of thing; and I said I would bring you to call on her.
She knows you by sight--and would like to know you personally," he
added, with a lame effort at explanation.

"Is that so?" said Ephie with sudden indifference; and her heart, which
had begun to thump at the mention of a friend, quieted down at once. In
fancy, she saw an elderly lady with shawls and a footstool, who had
been attracted by her fresh young face; the same thing had happened to
her before.

Now, however, that she knew the object of their walk, she was greatly
relieved, as if a near danger had been averted; but she had not taken
many steps forward before she was telling herself that another hope was
gone. The only thing to do was to take the matter in