n flight indicates it," I replied; "and besides, you know,
although she is not a Roman Catholic, she is at the head of a religious
house, and persons in that position are naturally averse to anybody
marrying the sisters under their charge. Even if she does not approve of
Miss Raynor's remaining in the House, she may not want her to date a
love affair from the establishment. If I remain here, Miss Raynor may be
spirited entirely out of my sphere of action."

"It strikes me," said Walkirk, "the way to get her spirited out of your
sight and knowledge is for you to go home at this juncture. In that
case, Mother Anastasia would be bound, in duty to the young lady and her
family, to send her away. Do you not agree with me that if you were to
reach Arden in the natural course of events, so to speak, and especially
if you got there after your grandmother had returned, you would avoid a
great deal of undesirable complication, and perhaps actual opposition?"

"You are right," I answered; "it would not look well for me to start
away so suddenly. We will wait a day or two, and then drop off
naturally."

Walking toward the house, in the afternoon, I met the Person. She
advanced toward me, holding out her hand with an air of peremptory
friendliness.

"I am heartily glad to see you. I want you to amuse me. I could not ask
this of you so long as that fascinating abbess was on the island."

I was a little surprised at this salutation, and not at all pleased. I
did not fancy this lady. She had an air as if she were availing herself
of her right to be familiar with her inferiors.

"I fear it is not in my power to do anything to amuse you," said I.

"Entirely too modest," she answered. "Let us walk over to this bench in
the shade. You are not desired at the house; everybody is taking a nap."

I went with her to the bench she had pointed out, and we sat down.

"Now, then," said she, turning toward me, "will you do me the favor to
flirt with me? Say for twenty-five minutes," looking at her watch; "that
will bring us to four o'clock, when I must go indoors."

At first I thought the woman was insane, but a glance at her face showed
that there was no reason for fear of that kind.

"That sounds crazy, doesn't it?" she asked, "but it isn't. It is an
honest expression of a very natural wish. Hundreds of ladies have
doubtless looked at you and had that wish; but social conventions
forbade their expressing it. Here we have no conventions,