"How happy we shall be! And I shall be able to complete my poem! Do you know, Minola," she said confidentially, "I do believe I shall be able to make a career in London. I do indeed! The miserable details of daily life here pressed me down, down," and she pressed her own hand upon her forehead to illustrate the idea. "There, in freedom and quiet, I do think I shall be able to prove to the world that I am worth a hearing!" This was a tender subject with Miss Grey. She could not bear to disturb by a word the harmless illusion of her friend, and yet the almost fierce truthfulness of her nature would not allow her to murmur a sentence of unmeaning flattery. "One word, Mary," she said; "if you grow famous, no marrying--mind!" Little Miss Blanchet laughed and then grew sad, and cast her eyes down. "Who would ask me to marry, my dearest? And even if they did, the buried past would come out of the grave--and----" She slightly raised both hands in deprecation of this mournful resurrection. "Well, I have all to go through with my people yet." "They won't prevent you?" Miss Blanchet asked anxiously. "They can't. In a few months I should be my own mistress; and what is the use of waiting? Besides, they don't really care--except for the sake of showing authority and proving to girls that they ought to be contented slaves. They know now that I am no slave. I do believe my esteemed step-father--or step-stepfather, if there is such a word--would consent to emancipate me if he could do so with the proper ceremonial--the slap on the cheek." The allusion was lost on Miss Blanchet. "Mr. Saulsbury is a stern man indeed," she said, "but very good; that we must admit." "All good men, it seems, are hard, and all soft men are bad." "What of Mr. Augustus Sheppard?" Miss Blanchet asked softly. "How will he take your going away?" "I have not asked him, Mary. But I can tell you if you care to know. He will take it with perfect composure. He has about as much capacity for foolish affection as your hearth-broom there." "I think you are mistaken, Minola--I do indeed. I think that man is really----" "Well. Is really what?" "You won't be angry if I say it?" Minola seemed as if she were going to be angry, but she looked into the little poetess's kindly, wistful eyes, and broke into a laugh. "I couldn't be angry with you, Mary, if I had ten times my capacity for anger--and that would be a goodly quantity! Well, what is Mr. Sheppard really, as you were going to say?" "Really in love with you, dear." "You kind and believing little poetess--full of faith in simple true love and all the rest of it! Mr. Sheppard likes what he considers a respectable connection in Keeton. Failing in one chance he will find another, and there is an end of that." "I don't think so," Miss Blanchet said gravely. "Well, we shall see."