fusion. This seemed to indicate
that she was not a hardened adventuress.

"To begin with, I am not going to Canada--I did not mean to go," she
said, and her eyes sparkled as she added: "But you are guilty of
intolerable rudeness. Why do you presume to interfere?"

"I suppose I am rude; I'm certainly unconventional. But you gave me
some advice in Edinburgh and I was grateful, because I saw you meant
well. Can't you believe that I mean well, too?"

She gave him a quick, half-puzzled, half-nervous glance, but did not
answer, and he resumed: "Anyhow, you would run a greater risk in Canada
than I did in Edinburgh, and you were rash in coming to Carlisle."

"But I'm not going to Canada!" she broke out.

"Don't you believe me?"

"I suppose I must," said Foster. "But I think you ought to go home."

She laughed, a rather strained laugh. "You are conventional enough to
think I would be safe there. How do you know what kind of a home I
have?"

"I know nothing about it," Foster admitted. "I find you here with a
dangerous companion and dare say I haven't taken a very tactful line in
trying to warn you. That's all."

There was silence for the next few moments and he felt sympathetic as
he watched her disturbed face. Her anger had vanished and he thought
she was grappling with doubt and alarm. In the meantime, he was not
free from embarrassment. It was an awkward business, and he had not
managed it very well. Then she got up and stood looking at him calmly.

"You have gone too far, in one sense, but not far enough in another.
You must be plainer if you want to justify your conduct."

"I see that, but am afraid you'll have to take my honesty for granted,
because I can't tell you anything more, except that the man you came
with is not to be trusted and may involve you in the difficulties that
threaten him. You must think of me as a stranger to whom you tried to
do a good turn and who has showed his gratitude in a clumsy way."

"Then there's nothing more to be said; but I suppose I must admit that
you meant well," she answered, and giving him a level glance moved to
the door.

Foster held it open and after she had gone went down to the
smoking-room. Perhaps he had been rash, but this did not matter. On
the whole, he did not think the girl would tell Daly about his warning,
and if she did, he probably knew already that Foster was at the hotel.
In fact, it was rather significant that they had not met. Still,