might be stirred up to wrath by the veiled slur on her character; but
probably she was pleased enough to be the one to go, whatever excuse
Mademoiselle Loire chose to give. Indeed, her mood had been
wonderfully amicable for several days. "Let me see," she said, looking
meditatively at Barbara. "You have been longing to ride _something_
ever since you came here, and since you have not been able to find a
horse, how would it do to hire a bicycle, and come only so far in the
train with me and ride the rest of the way?"

Barbara's eyes shone. This _was_ a concession on Mademoiselle
Therese's part, for she had hitherto apparently been most unwilling for
the girl to be out of her sight for any length of time, and had assured
her that there was no possibility of getting riding lessons in the
neighbourhood. What had brought her to make this proposal now Barbara
could not imagine.

"That would be a perfectly lovely plan," she cried. "You are an angel
to think of it, mademoiselle." At which remark the lady in question
was much flattered.

The next morning they started in gay spirits, Mademoiselle Therese
arrayed in her best, which always produced a feeling of wonderment in
Barbara. The lady certainly had not a Frenchwoman's usual taste, and
her choice of colours was not always happy, though she herself was
blissfully content about her appearance.

"I am glad you put on that pretty watch and chain," she said
approvingly to her companion, when they were in the train. "I always
try to make an impression when I go to Dol, for Madame Dubois is a
_very_ fashionable lady."

She stroked down her mauve skirt complacently, and Barbara thought that
she could not fail to make an impression of some kind. She was
entertained as they went along, by stories about the cleverness and
position of the lawyer, and the charms of his wife, and the delights of
his daughter, till Barbara felt quite nervous at the idea of meeting
such an amount of goodness, fashion, and wit in its own house.

Mademoiselle Therese allowed herself just a little time to give
directions as to the route the girl was to take on leaving her, and
Barbara repeated the turnings she had to take again and again till
there seemed no possibility of making a mistake.

"After the first short distance you reach the highroad," mademoiselle
called after her as she left the carriage, "so I have no fear about
allowing you to go; it is a well-trodden highroad, too, and not m