Delighted as Clarence felt, he was at the same time embarrassed.  He could not understand the necessity of this mysterious rendezvous.  He knew that if she was a scholar she was under certain conventual restraints; but with the privileges of his position and friendship with his teachers, he believed that Father Sobriente would easily procure him an interview with this old play-fellow, of whom he had often spoken, and who was, with himself, the sole survivor of his tragical past.  And trusted as he was by Sobriente, there was something in this clandestine though innocent rendezvous that went against his loyalty.  Nevertheless, he kept the appointment, and at the stated time was at the south wall of the convent, over which the gnarled boughs of the distinguishing pear-tree hung.  Hard by in the wall was a grated wicket door that seemed unused.

Would she appear among the boughs or on the edge of the wall?  Either would be like the old Susy.  But to his surprise he heard the sound of the key turning in the lock.  The grated door suddenly swung on its hinges, and Susy slipped out.  Grasping his hand, she said, “Let’s run, Clarence,” and before he could reply she started off with him at a rapid pace.  Down the lane they flew—­very much, as it seemed to Clarence’s fancy, as they had flown from the old emigrant wagon on the prairie, four years before.  He glanced at the fluttering, fairy-like figure beside him.  She had grown taller and more graceful; she was dressed in exquisite taste, with a minuteness of luxurious detail that bespoke the spoilt child; but there was the same prodigal outburst of rippling, golden hair down her back and shoulders, violet eyes, capricious little mouth, and the same delicate hands and feet he had remembered.  He would have preferred a more deliberate survey, but with a shake of her head and an hysteric little laugh she only said, “Run, Clarence, run,” and again darted forward.  Arriving at the cross-street, they turned the corner, and halted breathlessly.

“But you’re not running away from school, Susy, are you?” said Clarence anxiously.

“Only a little bit.  Just enough to get ahead of the other girls,” she said, rearranging her brown curls and tilted hat.  “You see, Clarence,” she condescended to explain, with a sudden assumption of older superiority, “mother’s here at the hotel all this week, and I’m allowed to go home every night, like a day scholar.  Only there’s three or four other girls that go out at the same time with me, and one of the Sisters, and to-day I got ahead of ’em just to see you.”

“But” began Clarence.

“Oh, it’s all right; the other girls knew it, and helped me.  They don’t start out for half an hour yet, and they’ll say I’ve just run ahead, and when they and the Sister get to the hotel I’ll be there already—­don’t you see?”

“Yes,” said Clarence dubiously.

“And we’ll go to an ice-cream saloon now, shan’t we?  There’s a nice one near the hotel.  I’ve got some money,” she added quickly, as Clarence looked embarrassed.