Maria said with an absent air. "We did not go to call
on him."

"Of course we didn't," said Evelyn. "Don't be cross, sister."

"I am not in the least cross," Maria answered with perfect truth.

"I didn't know but you were, you spoke so," said Evelyn. She leaned
wearily against her sister, and looked ahead with a hollow, wistful
expression.

Evelyn had grown thin and lost much of her color. Aunt Maria and
Eunice talked about it when they were alone.

"I wonder if there is any consumption in her mother's family?" Aunt
Maria said.

"I wonder," said Eunice. "I don't like the way she looks."

"Well, don't say anything about it to Maria, for she will worry
herself sick," said Aunt Maria. "She sets her eyes by Evelyn."

"Don't you think she notices?"

"No, she hasn't said a word about it."

But Aunt Maria was wrong. Maria had noticed. That afternoon,
returning from Westbridge, she looked anxiously down at her sister.

"Don't you feel well, dear?" she asked.

"Perfectly well," Evelyn replied languidly, "only I am a little
tired."

"Perhaps it is the spring weather," said Maria.

Evelyn nodded. It was the beginning of the spring term, and spring
came like a flood that year. The trees fairly seemed to burst forth
in green-and-rosy flames, and the shrubs in the door-yards bloomed so
boldly that they shocked rather than pleased.

"I like the spring to come slowly, so one does not feel choked with
it," Evelyn said after a little, as she gazed out of the window.
"There are actually daisies in that field. They have come too soon."
Evelyn spoke with an absurd petulance which was unusual with her.

Maria laughed. "Well, dear, we can't help it," she said.

"If this world is for people, and not the people for this world, it
seems to me we ought to be able to help a little," said Evelyn with
perfectly unconscious heresy. "There it rained too much last week,
and this week it is too hot, and the apple blossoms have come too
soon after the cherry blossoms. It is like eating all your candy in
one big pill."

Maria laughed again, but Evelyn sighed wearily. The car was very hot
and close.

"I shall be thankful when we get home," Evelyn said.

"Yes, you will feel better when you get home and have some supper,"
said Maria.

"I don't want any supper," said Evelyn.

"If you don't eat any supper you cannot study this evening."

"I must study," said Evelyn with a feverish light in her eyes.

"You can't unless you eat."