"
"Why?"
"Why?"
"Why do you wish to do that?"
"Because I wish to be your friend. May we not be friends? I am not much
older than you, I think."
"You are centuries younger. Who sent you here? Dr. Kemp?"
"No one sent me; I came of my own free will."
"Then go as you came."
"No."
She stood gracefully and quietly before her. Rose Delano moved farther
from her, as if to escape her grave brown eyes.
"You do not know what you are doing," cried the girl, excitedly; "have you
no father or mother, no one to tell you what a girl should not do?"
"I have both; but I have also a friend, --Dr. Kemp."
"He is my friend too," affirmed Rose, tremulously.
"Then we have one good thing in common; and since he is my friend and
yours, why should we not be friends?"
"Because he is a man, and you are a woman. He has then told you my story?"
"Yes."
"And you feel yourself unharmed in coming here--to such a creature as I?"
"I feel nothing but pity for you; I do not blame you. But, oh, little one,
I do so grieve for you because you won't believe that the world is not all
merciless. Come, give me your hand."
"No," she said, clasping her hands behind her and retreating as the other
advanced; "go away, please. You are very good, but you are very foolish.
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