"Don't cry, Alex. Are you really going? It's much the best idea, of course, and by the time you come back they may have something else to think about."
She giggled a little, self-consciously, and waited, as though to be questioned.
"I might be engaged to be married, or something like that, and then you'd come back to be my bridesmaid, and no one would think of anything unhappy."
Alex made no answer. Her tears had exhausted her and she felt weak and tired.
"How are you going to settle it all?" pursued Barbara tirelessly. "Hadn't you better write to them and see if they'll have you? Supposing Mother Gertrude said you couldn't go there?"
A pang of terror shot through Alex at the thought.
"Oh, no, no! She won't say she couldn't have me."
She went blindly to the carved writing-table with its heavy gilt and cut-glass appointments, and drew a sheet of paper towards her.
Barbara stood watching her curiously. Feeling as though the power of consecutive thought had almost left her, Alex scrawled a few words and addressed them to the Superior.
"We can send it round by hand," said Barbara coolly. "Then you'll know tonight."
"It's quite early--Holland can go in a cab."
Barbara rang the bell importantly and gave her instructions in a small, hard voice.
"It's no use just waiting about for days and days," she said to Alex. "It makes the whole house feel horrid, and father is so grave and sarcastic at meals, and it makes mother ill. You'd much rather be there than here, wouldn't you, Alex?"
Alex thought again of the Superior's welcome, which had never failed her--the Superior who knew nothing of her wicked ingratitude and undutifulness at home, and repeated miserably:
"Yes, yes, I'd much rather be there than here."
The answer to the note came much more quickly than they had expected it. Barbara heard the cab stop in the square outside, and ran down into the hall. She came back in a moment with a small, twisted note.
Alex read the tiny missive, and a great throb of purest relief and comfort went through her.
"I may go at once. She is waiting for me now, this minute, if I like."
"What did I tell you?" cried Barbara triumphantly.
She looked sharply at her sister, who was unconsciously clasping the little note as though she derived positive consolation from the contact. She went to the door.