rrie, following the small, stiff
figure to the door. "I--I wish you'd kiss me, Heppie."

Janet actually started, and a blush produced itself in a way peculiar to
her face, appearing mostly upon the nose, where it lingered rosily at
the end. Kisses were not exchanged under Mrs. MacDonald's roof. Barrie's
was a most disquieting suggestion, and sounded as if she had a
presentiment that she was about to die or, at the best, be very ill.
Still, there was no real impropriety in an ex-governess kissing her late
pupil; and possibly the desire revealed a spirit of repentance and
meekness on the part of Barribel, which deserved to be encouraged.
Without spoken questions, therefore, Miss Hepburn pecked with her
unkissed virgin lips the firm pink satin of Barrie's cheek. The deed
seemed curiously epoch-making, and stirred her oddly. She was ashamed of
the feeling she had, rather like a bird waking up from sleep and
fluttering its wings in her breast. Her nose burned; and she hastened
her departure lest Barribel should notice some undignified difference in
manner or expression.

"I shall see you again downstairs in a few minutes," she said hurriedly.

Barrie did not answer, and Miss Hepburn softly shut the door.

Instantly the girl began making a sandwich of the bread and cheese,
which she wrapped up in a clean handkerchief. She would not take the
napkin, because that belonged to Grandma. Hanging up in the wardrobe was
a long cloak of the MacDonald hunting tartan, which looked as if it had
been fashioned out of a man's plaid. On each side was a pocket; and into
one of these Barrie slipped her little package. Already made up and
lying on the floor of the wardrobe was another parcel, very much bigger,
rolled in dark green baize which might have been a small table cover.
From a shelf Barrie snatched a tam-o'-shanter, also a dark green in
colour. Absent-mindedly she pulled it over her head, and the green
brightened the copper red of her hair. Slipping her arms into the
sleeves of the queer cloak, she caught up her bundle, turned down the
gas, and peeped cautiously out into the corridor. No one was there. The
house was very still. Grandma's bell for reading and prayer would not
ring yet for twenty minutes or more. The girl tiptoed out, locked the
door behind her, and slipped the key into the pocket with the
sandwiches. If any one came to call her to prayers, it would appear that
she had shut herself in and was refusing to answer.