Stringham returned, " what you know or don't know
as to what I think; for you always find out the very
next moment, and when you do find out, dearest,
you never really care. Only," she presently asked,
"have you heard of him from Miss Croy?"

"Heard of Mr. Densher? Never a word. We
haven't mentioned him. Why should we?"

"That you haven t, I understand; but that she
hasn t," Susie opined, " may mean something."

"May mean what?"

"Well," Mrs. Stringham presently brought out,
"I tell you all when I tell you that Maud asks me to
suggest to you that it may perhaps be better for the
present not to speak of him: not to speak of him to
her niece, that is, unless she herself speaks to you
first. But Maud thinks she won t."

Milly was ready to engage for anything; but in
respect to the facts as they so far possessed them
it all sounded a little complicated. " Is it because
there's anything between them?"

"No I gather not; but Maud's state of mind is
precautionary. She's afraid of something. Or per
haps it would be more correct to say she's afraid of
everything."

"She's afraid, you mean," Milly asked, " of their
a liking each other?"

Susie had an intense thought and then an effusion.
"My dear child, we move in a labyrinth."

"Of course we do. That's just the fun of it!"
said Milly with a strange gaiety. Then she added:

[[205]]

p204 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p205w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p206

v?