Dear, it resembles Shiela as she is now--with that mysterious and almost imperceptible hint of sorrow in the tenderly youthful dignity of the features.
"We exchanged only the words I have written you; she passed her way leaning on Miss Lester's arm; I went for a mud bath as a precaution to our inherited enemy.

If rheumatism gets me at last it will not be the fault of your aged and timorous aunt.
"So that was all, yesterday.

But to-day as I was standing on the leafy path above the bath-houses, listening to the chattering of some excited birds recently arrived from the North in the first batch of migrants, Miss Lester came up to me and said that Shiela would like to see me, and that the doctors said there was no harm in her talking to anybody if she desired to do so.
"So I took my book to a rustic seat under the trees, and presently our little Shiela came by, leaning on Miss Lester's arm; and Miss Lester walked on, leaving her seated beside me.
"For quite five minutes she neither spoke nor even looked at me, and I was very careful to leave the quiet unbroken.
"The noise of the birds--they were not singing, only chattering to each other about their trip--seemed to attract her notice, and she laid her hand on mine to direct my attention.

Her hand remained there--she has the same soft little hands, as dazzlingly white as ever, only thinner.
"She said, not looking at me: 'I have been ill.

You understand that.' "'Yes,' I said, 'but it is all over now, isn't it ?' "She nodded listlessly: 'I think so.' "Again, but not looking at me she spoke of her illness as dating from a shock received long ago.