She turned her handsome eyes on me. “No, but I imagined the subject would soon be under discussion.”
“And are you going to live with the Denvilles?” I blurted out.
She smiled half sadly. “No, Black-Face, I am going back to our parents.”
“Oh, Serena!” I said, “I am much disappointed.”
“That is nice in you, Black-Face, but I must do my duty. Our father and mother have missed me, and in thinking things over lately, I know I did wrong to leave them.”
I was so surprised that I did not say anything for a long time. Then I murmured, “You will come to see us sometimes.”
“Oh! yes,” said Serena brightly. “We are close by.”
“Serena,” I said, “are you going back home because you want to, or because you ought to?”
“The latter first, but I'll make it the former, before I'm done with it,” she said with a laugh.