greatly needed.
Indeed, Charlotta had made her almost forget the little soreness which
Carlo Navara's failure to return her friendship had left in her.

A few moments later Charlotta stopped and turned around.

"We are not walking faster than you like, Miss Pringle?" she inquired.
Then she added unexpectedly. "Dear Susan Pringle, you are nearly frozen.
Why look, Bianca, her lips and cheeks are blue! What on earth made you
come for a walk without any warmer clothes? It is that old English
prejudice which makes you think heavy garments are never necessary. You
must go back home at once. You are positively shivering."

And it was true that as the two girls and the older woman stood together
in a little group for a moment, Miss Pringle could scarcely keep her
teeth from chattering.

"I am just a little cold," she confessed, "however, girls, I do not wish
to rob you of your walk."

Charlotta smiled back at her serenely.

"Oh, you need not worry, Susan dear! Your returning home for something
warmer to wear need not interfere with our plans. We will just walk on
slowly toward the woods and when we reach there start back. If you do
not overtake us, we will meet you on our way home."

This suggestion was not wholly approved of by Miss Pringle and yet at
the moment, being a little frozen mentally as well as physically, she
made no serious objection to it.

She believed she could walk home rapidly and be with the two girls again
in a short time. Moreover, it was one of her serious weaknesses of
character that she seldom objected to any positive wish of the young
countess's.

In the brilliant March sunshine the path through the woods appeared like
a path of gold. There were no leaves on the tall trees so that the light
shone through the bare branches.

"Let us go on just a little further, Charlotta, and then we must go back
to meet Miss Pringle," Bianca proposed.

But here the path grew narrow so that Charlotta led the way, Bianca
following at first close behind her.

The air was like magic, the old magic of youth, "of love and life and
light and laughter."

Charlotta sang along the way.

"Wheresoe'er the Sun
Doth journey in his chariot, I have sought
For that which shall outweigh the love of woman.
On earth, in air, in water, many things
Fair have I found, the seed of song in man,
The seed of flowers in the earth, but over all,
And fairer far and greater, is the seed
Of love. Wh