"It's a very serious matter," said the girl, "but I'll give you three chances to guess. If that's not enough, you'll have to ask uncle."
"Miss Laura--Miss Kendrick!" I exclaimed.
"Oh, did I tell you, after all?" she cried in dismay. "I said uncle, didn't I? Now, you see, I'm quite as stupid as other people."
"Indeed, no," I said. "It's quite unpardonable that I should have forgotten."
"It ought to be, but I'm afraid I shall have to forgive you," she said, dropping into a chair. "It's a longish time."
"How many years has it been?" I asked.
"I'm afraid you're adding to your offenses," she said, with a shake of the head. "You should certainly remember that it was five years ago this summer."
"Have you been away so long?" I exclaimed.
"Oh, dear! what shall I do with such a man? First he doesn't remember me at all, and then he doesn't know how many years I've been gone, and then he has no idea it was so long."
"But you were only a little girl then," I urged.