know that it's important to me to find out?? The
array of things was further swollen, however, even
as she said this, by its striking her as too much to
say. She therefore tried as quickly to say less.
"Except you mean, of course, that it's important to
you." She fancied Aunt Maud was looking at her
almost as hard as she was herself smiling, and that
gave her another impulse. " You know I never
have yet named him to her; so that if I should break
out now"

"Well? "Mrs. Lowder waited.

"Why, she may wonder what I ve been making
a mystery of. She hasn't mentioned him, you
know," Milly went on, " herself."

"No " her friend a little heavily weighed it
"she wouldn t. So it's she, you see then, who has
made the mystery."

Yes, Milly but wanted to see; only there was so
much. " There has been of course no particular
reason." Yet that indeed was neither here nor there.
"Do you think," she asked, " he is back?"

"It will be about his time, I gather, and rather a
comfort to me definitely to know."

"Then can't you ask her yourself?"

"Ah, we never speak of him!"

It helped Milly for the moment to the convenience
of a puzzled pause. " Do you mean he's an ac
quaintance of whom you disapprove for her?"

Aunt Maud, as well, just hung fire. " I disap
prove of her for the poor young man. She doesn't
care for him."

[[289]]

p288 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p289w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p290

v?