“I love music. That was a beautiful solo, madame, only so sad!”
“Ah, my dear! But never mind. You have promised to tell me your story some day. I may tell you mine before that. For in this case I feel towards you somewhat like the ancient mariner to the wedding guest.”
“I shall be glad to hear, madame, very glad and grateful for your confidence,” said Lilith, as she once more arose to take leave.
“Why is it that I feel as if you belonged to me, dear?” said the baroness, as she took the girl in her arms and kissed her.
“It is because you are so good to me, madame. In an humble way, in my happy days at home, whenever I took any helpless creature under my care, I always felt as if it belonged to me, whether it did or not,” said Lilith, simply.
“Come again to-morrow, my dear, if you can. If not, come any day at this hour. I am always at home between twelve and two,” said the baroness, as she patted the cheek of her new favorite and let her go.
As before, the old Frenchman joined her in the corridor and escorted her downstairs and out to the sidewalk.
There she thanked and took leave of him.
Lilith walked home, where she arrived an hour later than on the preceding day.
“You have made a long visit this morning, honey,” said Aunt Sophie, who met her in the parlor.