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veil across her face。 With the putting on her coif she seemed to have
extinguished all the joyous youthfulness of her spirit； and moved with the
deliberateness of renunciation towards the door。 They descended the
staircase without a word。 Those who saw them pass made way for them
with formal respect。
When they were in the street； she said quietly； 〃Don't give me your
armSisters don't take it。〃 When they had reached the street corner； she
turned it； saying； 〃This is the shortest way。〃
It was Key who was now restrained； awkward； and embarrassed。 The
fire of his spirit； the passion he had felt a moment before； had gone out of
him； as if she were really the character she had assumed。 He said at last
desperately：
〃How long did you live in the hollow？〃
〃Only two days。 My brother was bringing me here to school； but in
the stage coach there was some one with whom he had quarreled； and he
didn't want to meet him with me。 So we got out at Skinner's； and came to
the hollow； where his old friends； Mr。 and Mrs。 Barker； lived。〃
There was no hesitation nor affectation in her voice。 Again he felt
that he would as soon have doubted the words of the Sister she represented
as her own。
〃And your brotherdid you live with him？〃
〃No。 I was at school at Marysville until he took me away。 I saw
little of him for the past two years； for he had business in the mountains
very rough business； where he couldn't take me； for it kept him away from
the settlements for weeks。 I think it had something to do with cattle； for
he was always having a new horse。 I was all alone before that； too； I had
no other relations； I had no friends。 We had always been moving about
so much； my brother and I。 I never saw any one that I liked； except you；
and until yesterday I had only HEARD you。〃
Her perfect naivete alternately thrilled him with pain and doubt。 In his
awkwardness and uneasiness he was brutal。
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〃Yes； but you must have met somebodyother menhere even； when
you were out with your schoolfellows； or perhaps on an adventure like
this。〃
Her white coif turned towards him quickly。 〃I never wanted to know
anybody else。 I never cared to see anybody else。 I never would have
gone out in this way but for you；〃 she said hurriedly。 After a pause she
added in a frightened tone： 〃That didn't sound like your voice then。 It
didn't sound like it a moment ago either。〃
〃But you are sure that you know my voice；〃 he said； with affected
gayety。 〃There were two others in the hollow with me that night。〃
〃I know that； too。 But I know even what you said。 You reproved
them for throwing a lighted match in the dry grass。 You were thinking of
us then。 I know it。〃
〃Of US？〃 said Key quickly。
〃Of Mrs。 Barker and myself。 We were alone in the house； for my
brother and her husband were both away。 What you said seemed to
forewarn me； and I told her。 So we were prepared when the fire came
nearer； and we both escaped on the same horse。〃
〃And you dropped your shoes in your flight；〃 said Key laughingly；
〃and I picked them up the next day； when I came to search for you。 I have
kept them still。〃
〃They were HER shoes；〃 said the girl quickly； 〃I couldn't find mine in
our hurry； and hers were too large for me； and dropped off。〃 She stopped；
and with a faint return of her old gladness said； 〃Then you DID come back？
I KNEW you would。〃
〃I should have stayed THEN； but we got no reply when we shouted。
Why was that？〃 he demanded suddenly。
〃Oh； we were warned against speaking to any stranger； or even being
seen by any one while we were alone；〃 returned the girl simply。
〃But why？〃 persisted Key。
〃Oh； because there were so many highwaymen and horse…stealers in
the woods。 Why； they had stopped the coach only a few weeks before；
and only a day or two ago； when Mrs。 Barker came down。 SHE saw
them！〃
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Key with difficulty suppressed a groan。 They walked on in silence
for some moments； he scarcely daring to lift his eyes to the decorous little
figure hastening by his side。 Alternately touched by mistrust and pain； at
last an infinite pity； not unmingled with a desperate resolution； took
possession of him。
〃I must make a confession to you； Miss Rivers；〃 he began with the
bashful haste of a very boy； 〃that is〃he stammered with a half hysteric
laugh；〃that isa confession as if you were really a sister or a priest； you
knowa sort of confidence to youto your dress。 I HAVE seen you； or
THOUGHT I saw you before。 It was that which brought me here； that
which made me follow Mrs。 Barkermy only clue to youto the door of
that convent。 That night； in the hollow； I saw a profile at the lighted
window； which I thought was yours。〃
〃I never was near the window；〃 said the young girl quickly。 〃It must
have been Mrs。 Barker。〃
〃I know that now；〃 returned Key。 〃But remember； it was my only
clue to you。 I mean；〃 he added awkwardly； 〃it was the means of my
finding you。〃
〃I don't see how it made you think of me； whom you never saw； to see
another woman's profile；〃 she retorted； with the faintest touch of asperity
in her childlike voice。 〃But；〃 she added； more gently and with a relapse
into her adorable naivete； 〃most people's profiles look alike。〃
〃It was not that；〃 protested Key； still awkwardly； 〃it was only that I
realized somethingonly a dream； perhaps。〃
She did not reply； and they continued on in silence。 The gray wall of
the convent was already in sight。 Key felt he had achieved nothing。
Except for information that was hopeless； he had come to no nearer
understanding of the beautiful girl beside him； and his future appeared as
vague as before； and； above all； he was conscious of an inferiority of
character and purpose to this simple creature； who had obeyed him so
submissively。 Had he acted wisely？ Would it not have been better if he
had followed her own frankness； and
〃Then it was Mrs。 Barker's profile that brought you here？〃 resumed the
voice beneath the coif。 〃You know she has gone back。 I suppose you
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will follow？〃
〃You will not understand me；〃 said Key desperately。 〃But；〃 he added
in a lower voice； 〃I shall remain here until you do。〃
He drew a little closer to her side。
〃Then you must not begin by walking so close to me；〃 she said；
moving slightly away； 〃they may see you from the gate。 And you must
not go with me beyond that corner。 If I have been missed already they
will suspect you。〃
〃But how shall I know？〃 he said； attempting to take her hand。 〃Let
me walk past the gate。 I cannot leave you in this uncertainty。〃
〃You will know soon enough；〃 she said gravely； evading his hand。
〃You must not go further now。 Good…night。〃
She had stopped at the corner of the wall。 He again held out his hand。
Her little fingers slid coldly between his。
〃Good…night； Miss Rivers。〃
〃Stop！〃 she said suddenly； withdrawing her veil and lifting her clear
eyes to his in the moonlight。 〃You must not say THATit isn't the truth。
I can't bear to hear it from YOUR lips； in YOUR voice。 My name is
NOT Rivers！〃
〃Not Riverswhy？〃 said Key； astounded。
〃Oh； I don't know why；〃 she said half despairingly； 〃only my brother
didn't want me to use my name and his here； and I promised。 My name is
'Riggs'there！ It's a secretyou mustn't tell it； but I could not