em for the child if there arose no
claimants," said Mademoiselle.

"Then turn them over to the child. You got them from her," said Mr.
Patterson. "I have nothing to do with them. Good-morning."

Awaiting the sailing-date set by Mr. Patterson, Anne lingered some days
after the other pupils. One morning Louise came in to pack her trunk and
to say that Mademoiselle Duroc wished to see her in the small study.

"I sent for you to bid you farewell and to return to you these jewels,"
Mademoiselle said. "It is grief to me that you have been so secret
about the matter and made the distress for your friends."

Anne's eyes filled with tears. It hurt her to remember that she had
refused to answer Mrs. Patterson's questions. How pale and troubled the
dear face had looked! And now she could never, never explain. Could she
ever tell Miss Drayton or Pat? Probably not. What a dreadful thought! "I
am so sorry, Mamzelle," she faltered. "Indeed, it is not my fault. I had
to promise. I was not to tell any one till we went to Nantes. I kept
hoping we would go. Now we never shall. And I do want to tell them."

Here was a clew and Mademoiselle's quick wit followed it. "Is it that
you mean, Anne," she asked, "that some one--a person whose wish had the
right to be regarded--told you that you might explain the matter to your
guardian when you went to Nantes?"

"Yes, Mamzelle, that was it," Anne responded eagerly. "He said I might
tell then."

"He," mused Mademoiselle. "Who, Anne?"

Anne did not answer.

"Where were you when he told you this?"

Anne hesitated, debating with herself whether her uncle would wish her
to tell. Mademoiselle changed the question.

"When he had you to promise that, were you expecting to go to Nantes?"

"Yes, Mamzelle." Anne was sure she might answer this. "And then seeing
Dr. La Farge changed all the plans, you know."

Mademoiselle nodded her head. Yes, she knew. "I begin to understand some
of the affair, Anne," she said, thinking intently and putting her
thoughts into slow English. "I think you have been making the mistake.
This person he wished you to let a certain time lapse before the telling
by you. For some reason. One week or two weeks or three. It was known
to him that you expected to go to Nantes? Ah! so he did tell you to
promise to await that time? So it was!"

"I haven't told you anything I ought not to, have I, Mamzelle?" inquired
Anne, anxiously. "He said if I told--before we reached Nantes,