In the meantime Reine was abruptly sent home to London.

"She will make herself ill if she is allowed to stay in the house with
Hetty, and obliged to be silent towards her as to her discovery," said
Mr. Enderby. "When the chain of evidence is complete, we can think of
what to do."

So Mr. Enderby himself carried off Reine to London that very night.

"It will be necessary to come, my dear," he said, "and make inquiries at
once. You will thus arrive more quickly at your end. Now just run into
the school-room for a minute and say good-bye to Hetty. But if you love
her, say nothing to disturb the child's peace."

It cost Reine a great struggle to obey these sudden orders; but she saw
their drift, and was wise enough not to oppose them. In her travelling
dress she appeared in the school-room, where Hetty, all unconscious of
the wonderful change for her that was hanging in the balance of Fate,
sat at work as usual with Miss Davis.

"I have come to say good-bye," said Reine; "I am called off to London in
a hurry. But you must not forget me. We shall surely meet again."

Hetty's heart sank with bitter disappointment She had been living in a
sort of dream since yesterday, a dream of happiness at being so suddenly
and unexpectedly loved by this sweet girl who had risen up like an angel
in her path. The hope of seeing her again and enjoying her friendship
had kept a glow of joy within her, which now went out and left darkness
in its place. She strove to keep her face from showing how deeply she
felt what seemed like caprice in Reine.

Reine looked in her face with that long strange gaze which had so
impressed Hetty's heart and imagination, smothered a sob, snatched a
kiss from her sister's quivering lips, held her a moment in a close
embrace, and then turned abruptly and was gone.

"Miss Gaythorne seems a rather impulsive young lady," said Miss Davis
disapprovingly. "I wish she had taken a fancy to some one else than my
pupil. You must try to forget her, Hetty. Girls like her, with wealth
and power and nobody to control them, are apt to become capricious, and
work mischief with people who have business to attend to. I hope you
understand me, Hetty."

"Yes," said Hetty with a long sigh.

"You must not expect to see Miss Gaythorne again. She will probably have
forgotten you to-morrow."

Miss Davis was not in the secret which was occupying the minds of
several of the inmates of Wavertree Hall.

CHAPTER XX.

HA