Suzette drew away from her in stern offence. "Do you think that if he were alive he would leave us without a word—a sign?"
"No, no! He couldn't be so cruel! I didn't mean that! He is dead, and I shall always say it."
They walked on without speaking, but at the gate Suzette offered to return Louise's embrace. The tears stood in her eyes, as she said, "I would like to send my love to your mother—if she would care for it."
"Care for it!"
"And tell your brother I can never forget what he did for us."
"He can never forget that you let him do it," said Louise, with eager gratitude. "He would have liked to come with me, if he hadn't thought it might seem intrusive."
"Intrusive! Your brother!" Sue spoke the words as if Matt were of some superior order of beings.
The intensity of feeling she put into her voice brought another gush of tears into Louise's eyes. "Matt is good. And I will tell him what you say. He will like to hear it." They looked down the road, but they could not see Simpson coming yet. "Don't wait, Sue," she pleaded. "Do go back! You will be all worn out."
"No, I will stay till your carriage comes," said Suzette; and they remained a moment silent together.
Then Louise said, "Matt has got a new fad: a young man that writes on the newspapers—"