traight at the pond
again.

"No, Charlotte," said the younger one simply.

Charlotte transferred her quiet eyes to her companion's face. "I am
afraid you are feeling restless."

"I am feeling as I always feel," Gertrude replied, in the same tone.

Charlotte turned away; but she stood there a moment. Presently she
looked down at the front of her dress. "Does n't it seem to you,
somehow, as if my scarf were too long?" she asked.

Gertrude walked half round her, looking at the scarf. "I don't think you
wear it right," she said.

"How should I wear it, dear?"

"I don't know; differently from that. You should draw it differently
over your shoulders, round your elbows; you should look differently
behind."

"How should I look?" Charlotte inquired.

"I don't think I can tell you," said Gertrude, plucking out the scarf
a little behind. "I could do it myself, but I don't think I can explain
it."

Charlotte, by a movement of her elbows, corrected the laxity that had
come from her companion's touch. "Well, some day you must do it for me.
It does n't matter now. Indeed, I don't think it matters," she added,
"how one looks behind."

"I should say it mattered more," said Gertrude. "Then you don't know who
may be observing you. You are not on your guard. You can't try to look
pretty."

Charlotte received this declaration with extreme gravity. "I don't think
one should ever try to look pretty," she rejoined, earnestly.

Her companion was silent. Then she said, "Well, perhaps it 's not of
much use."

Charlotte looked at her a little, and then kissed her. "I hope you will
be better when we come back."

"My dear sister, I am very well!" said Gertrude.

Charlotte went down the large brick walk to the garden gate; her
companion strolled slowly toward the house. At the gate Charlotte met a
young man, who was coming in--a tall, fair young man, wearing a high hat
and a pair of thread gloves. He was handsome, but rather too stout. He
had a pleasant smile. "Oh, Mr. Brand!" exclaimed the young lady.

"I came to see whether your sister was not going to church," said the
young man.

"She says she is not going; but I am very glad you have come. I think if
you were to talk to her a little".... And Charlotte lowered her voice.
"It seems as if she were restless."

Mr. Brand smiled down on the young lady from his great height. "I shall
be very glad to talk to her. For that I should be willing to absent
myself from almost any oc