But after his return he had a very cold reception--due, perhaps, to some audacity he had allowed himself in his correspondence.

Rhoda again avoided meeting with him, and, as Miss Barfoot noticed, threw herself with increased energy into all her old pursuits.
'What about your holiday this year ?' Mary asked one evening in June.
'Shall you go first, or shall I ?' 'Please make whatever arrangements you like.' Miss Barfoot had a reason for wishing to postpone her holiday until late in August.

She said so, and proposed that Rhoda should take any three weeks she liked prior to that.
'Miss Vesper,' she added, 'can manage your room very well.

We shall be much more at ease in that respect than last year.' 'Yes.

Miss Vesper is getting to be very useful and trustworthy.' Rhoda mused when she had made this remark.
'Do you know,' she asked presently, 'whether she sees much of Mrs.
Widdowson ?' 'I have no idea.' They decided that Rhoda should go away at the close of July.