"She is my friend—my intimate friend—and she is just lovely, Val. She would never tell, and we have promised to tell each other everything. Do let me."
"No, you can't; not a word. Girls always have to tell each other such a lot. Now if you want to know how I happened to get here you must promise not to say a word to her. Will you?"
"Very well," returned Elizabeth, regretfully. "I won't tell her. But, Val!"
"What is it?"
"I have not promised not to tell Aunt Caroline."
"Aunt Caroline! Why, she is the person of all others that I don't want to have know it. What on earth do you mean, Elizabeth?"
The little girl was standing by the dressing-table. For a moment she did not speak, and she slowly turned over, one by one, the pile of unopened letters which had been lying there so long.
"If I promise not to tell, are you going to explain why you came and all about it?" she asked.
"Yes—every word."
"Oh, I do want to know so much! And if I tell Aunt Caroline you are here, what will you do?"