hat tune during the last term at school, in the summer. It
made her think of rounders in the hot school garden, singing-classes
in the large green room, all the class shouting "Gather roses while
ye may," hot afternoons in the shady north room, the sound of turning
pages, the hum of the garden beyond the sun-blinds, meetings in the
sixth form study.... Lilla, with her black hair and the specks of bright
amber in the brown of her eyes, talking about free-will.

She stirred the fire. The windows were quite dark. The flames shot up
and shadows darted.

That summer, which still seemed near to her, was going to fade and
desert her, leaving nothing behind. To-morrow it would belong to a world
which would go on without her, taking no heed. There would still be
blissful days. But she would not be in them.

There would be no more silent sunny mornings with all the day ahead and
nothing to do and no end anywhere to anything; no more sitting at the
open window in the dining-room, reading Lecky and Darwin and bound
"Contemporary Reviews" with roses waiting in the garden to be worn in
the afternoon, and Eve and Harriett somewhere about, washing blouses or
copying waltzes from the library packet... no more Harriett looking in
at the end of the morning, rushing her off to the new grand piano to
play the "Mikado" and the "Holy Family" duets. The tennis-club would go
on, but she would not be there. It would begin in May. Again there would
be a white twinkling figure coming quickly along the pathway between the
rows of holly-hocks every Saturday afternoon.

Why had he come to tea every Sunday--never missing a single Sunday--all
the winter? Why did he say, "Play 'Abide with me,'" "Play 'Abide with
me'" yesterday, if he didn't care? What was the good of being so quiet
and saying nothing? Why didn't he say "Don't go" or "When are you coming
back?" Eve said he looked perfectly miserable.

There was nothing to look forward to now but governessing and old age.
Perhaps Miss Gilkes was right.... Get rid of men and muddles and have
things just ordinary and be happy. "Make up your mind to be happy. You
can be _perfectly_ happy without anyone to think about...." Wearing
that large cameo brooch--long, white, flat-fingered hands and that quiet
little laugh.... The piano-organ had reached its last tune. In the midst
of the final flourish of notes the door flew open. Miriam got quickly to
her feet and felt for matches.

2

Harriett came i