Page:A child of the Orient (IA childoforient00vakarich).pdf/184

 "Now lie down, like a little dear, and tell me how old you are."

"To show you how old I am," I said proudly and priggishly, "I may tell you that I have finished my Greek studies, and have been a year in Paris. I return there again in September."

"In Paris! You have been in Paris?" she asked reverently, losing some of the remoteness in her voice.

I was pleased to notice the interest I was arousing in her.

"Oh, I have been there several times before, only now I am there as a student."

"I am going to send word to your mother that you fell into my garden, that you are a little hurt, and that I shall keep you all the afternoon."

"You needn't trouble yourself," I said, "for there's nobody at home but the maids. I shall be all alone for two days now."

"Indeed!" Her eyes shone with pleasure. "Then perhaps you would like to spend those two days with me?"

"I should love to," I cried, "but I must first make a little confession."

She leaned over me and forced me to lie down. She was still quite Maeterlinckian.

"What is your confession?"

"The reason I fell into your garden," I proceeded very quickly, "was because I was reconnoitring how to manage to fall into it. I