yet my mind turned to nothing else but the memory of him, and
seemed to fix and fasten upon the thought. I knew that father saw I
brooded. Whether he knew why, I did not like to think; but he used to
take me out upon long drives, among the hills across the bay, and out
to the Presidio to see the military maneuvers; so that he kept me with
him much of the time. And he would urge me to go about to see the
girls I knew; but Hallie was the only one I went to see at all.

She had been very tactful after the first outburst of enthusiasm over
me upon the witness-stand; and as soon as she understood how I hated
and couldn't endure any allusions to it, had never mentioned it to me
again, though I used sometimes to catch her looking at me in a way
which made me know she was sympathetic and curious; and that made a
bond between us.

I was fond of the Fergusons' house itself. It had a charming garden,
planted with roses, with big, blue Chinese jars at the elbows of the
paths and on the porch, and a dear little upper balcony--just such a
one as Leonore walks out upon in _Il Trovatore_--which overlooked the
convent and its gardens. Sitting here with Hallie one late afternoon,
while sunlight was still among the housetops, but with the convent
garden in shadow so deep it looked like a reflection in water, I saw
the procession of nuns, slim, black figures and bending heads, winding
slowly through it. The sight touched me with a very melancholy yet not
quite unhappy feeling.

"What would you think, Hallie," I asked, "if I should become a nun?"

"A nun!" Hallie almost shrieked. "Ellie Fenwick, what are you thinking
of? Why, you would have to cut off all your lovely hair!"

"Yes," I said, "one of the sisters there told me that she had hair as
long as mine when she was a girl, and yet she doesn't look unhappy now.
And then everything is so peaceful over there, the garden is so quiet,
and they are so calm! I think I should love to; and oh, dear, Hallie,
you don't know! I am very unhappy!"

Hallie put her arm around me and said firmly, "You will do no such
thing! You will come to Estrella's party to-night and forget all about
convents and such hateful things! Of course, I know what the matter
is; and it's very lovely and awfully romantic, but really I'm afraid
that he is quite gone, dear. Don't you think you could think of some
one else?"

I said I couldn't bear to, that I didn't want to go to Estrella's
party, that I hat