“Where does this road come out?” she asked at last.
“It doesn’t come out.”
“Where does it go?”
“It goes to Elspeth’s.”
‚ÄúWhy, we must turn back immediately. I thought‚ÅÝ‚Äî‚Äù But Bles was already turning. They were approaching the main road again when there came a fluttering as of a great bird beating its wings amid the forest. Then a girl, lithe, dark brown, and tall, leaped lightly into the path with greetings on her lips for Bles. At the sight of the lady she drew suddenly back and stood motionless regarding Miss Taylor, searching her with wide black liquid eyes. Miss Taylor was a little startled.
‚ÄúGood‚ÅÝ‚Äîgood evening,‚Äù she said, straightening herself.
The girl was still silent and the horse stopped. One tense moment pulsed through all the swamp. Then the girl, still motionless‚ÅÝ‚Äîstill looking Miss Taylor through and through‚ÅÝ‚Äîsaid with slow deliberateness:
“I hates you.”
The teacher in Miss Taylor strove to rebuke this unconventional greeting but the woman in her spoke first and asked almost before she knew it‚ÅÝ‚Äî
“Why?”