Palla shivered; she passed one arm around her; and they stood so for a while. Then Ilse’s arm tightened, and the old gaiety glinted in her sea-blue eyes:
“Is your house in order too, Palla?” she asked. “Turn around, little enigma! There; I can look into those brown eyes now. And I see nothing in them to answer me my question.”
“Do you mean Jim?”
“I do.”
“I haven’t seen him.”
“For how long?”
“Weeks. I don’t know how long it has been–––”
“Have you quarrelled?”
“Yes. We seem to. This is quite the most serious one yet.”