said aloud, "Tony, I shall race you to the gate," and in a whisper,
"Then you can hide," and off they ran.

Tony could always outdistance her easily, but never had she known him
speed away so quickly as now, and she was sure he hurried that he
might have more time to hide. "Brave, brave!" her doting eyes were
crying when she got a dreadful shock; instead of hiding, her hero had
run out at the gate! At this bitter sight Maimie stopped blankly, as
if all her lapful of darling treasures were suddenly spilled, and then
for very disdain she could not sob; in a swell of protest against all
puling cowards she ran to St. Govor's Well and hid in Tony's stead.

When the ayah reached the gate and saw Tony far in front she thought
her other charge was with him and passed out. Twilight came on, and
scores and hundreds of people passed out, including the last one, who
always has to run for it, but Maimie saw them not. She had shut her
eyes tight and glued them with passionate tears. When she opened them
something very cold ran up her legs and up her arms and dropped into
her heart. It was the stillness of the Gardens. Then she heard
clang, then from another part _clang_, then _clang_, _clang_ far away.
It was the Closing of the Gates.

Immediately the last clang had died away Maimie distinctly heard a
voice say, "So that's all right." It had a wooden sound and seemed to
come from above, and she looked up in time to see an elm tree
stretching out its arms and yawning.

She was about to say, "I never knew you could speak!" when a metallic
voice that seemed to come from the ladle at the well remarked to the
elm, "I suppose it is a bit coldish up there?" and the elm replied,