Page:Leah Reed--Brenda's summer at Rockley.djvu/362

342 a year or two in Chestnut Street. Would n’t you, Brenda?”

“Not I,” replied her pretty cousin, shaking her head. “While I’m in the world, I want to be in a place that’s alive. Why, even the electric cars seem out of place in Salem, and if I lived here, I should never dare speak above  my breath.”

“I wish that you were coming to Rockley with us,” said Julia to Miss South as they parted at the station. “Amy is to spend the night with us, and it would be delightful,  if you could.”

“But I cannot,” and Miss South shook her head. “My grandmother, I fear, will think that I have been away too  long as it is. But I shall hope to see you soon.”

It happened, however, that several weeks passed before Miss South saw the girls from Rockley again. In fact, it was not until some time after they had all returned to town. For a sudden change in the weather sent Madame DuLaunay back to the city a day or two after the excursion to Salem, and Miss South had time only to write her good-bye.

Mr. Barlow was highly amused with Brenda’s vivid account of her visit to Mrs. Silva.

“It’s a pity that you had n’t a pair of handcuffs with you, as long as you turned private detective. If you had n’t had so large an escort, I should have been greatly displeased  with you for prowling about in a neighborhood where you  were not acquainted.”

“Well, I was rather glad when Mrs. Moriarty appeared.