"Is that you, Eva!" she exclaimed in delight. "Why, you look as well and jolly as possible. How nice to have you back again!"
The little lady ran up to Evelyn, and kissed her affectionately. "Now, my darling, you are not going to tire yourself," she said. "Come and sit here by the open window."
"I have been sitting still and lying down all day," replied Evelyn, with a faint little grimace; "I am not really tired at all. Dolly and I came, Miss Delicia, to ask Mrs. Freeman to give us leave to go and see that poor girl, Bridget O'Hara. It seems she has got into a scrape on my account."
"And rightly, my dear; and very rightly. For my part, I don't approve of punishments; I am all the other way; but such conduct as Bridget's does deserve a sharp reprimand. Suppose you had been seriously hurt, Evelyn?"
"But I was not hurt at all. I wish I could go and see Miss O'Hara now; I want to thank her for having saved my life. If she did give me a fright, Miss Delicia, she also kept me from the consequences of her own act. I wish I could thank her."
"Well, dear, do go to her; I'll give you permission, and set things right with Mrs. Freeman. If you and Dolly can bring that wild child to hear reason we shall all be only too delighted. Run away, my dears, both of you, and do your best."
The girls left the room, and ran down the stone passage which led to Miss Patience's little sitting room at the other side of the big house.
They were surprised, however, on reaching it, to find the door flung wide open and the room empty.
Dorothy gave an exclamation of astonishment.
"Bridget must have given in," she said; "Mrs. Freeman must have come to her, and she must have yielded. Oh, what a relief! How glad I am! Come, Evelyn, let us go on the terrace, and walk up and down until tea is ready."