you
know--it would bring him dreadful harm."

"Indeed, no," laughed Mademoiselle Duroc. "You have told me nothing but
that you are the so faithful, so stupid promise-keeper. Take my word for
it, Anne," she continued gravely, "the time has long passed to which the
'he' wished to defer the telling about the jewels. It is due your
friends and you that you make the matter clear. As soon as possible. I
regret that we did not understand. I have much of interest for the
secret. But I see that it is not for me."

Louise tapped at the door and said that Miss Anne's trunk was ready and
the cab was waiting.

Mademoiselle gave Anne a stately salute and put the little package in
her hand. "Ask Mr. Patterson to take charge of this packet for you," she
said. "Good-by, my child. _Bon voyage!_"

Anne followed Louise who straightened her ribbons and tied on her hat.

"Louise," she said, in her halting French, "I've not been very much
trouble to you, have I?"

"Not more than the usual. Young ladies are born to be the
trouble-makers," responded Louise.

"Because I didn't want to. And I should like some one to be sorry I am
going," said Anne. "Here is the silver piece Mr. Patterson gave me. You
take it, Louise. Would you mind--won't you kiss me good-by, Louise, and
can you miss me one little bit?"

"A thousand thanks, little one!" exclaimed Louise. "How droll you are!
I will give you many kisses with all the good will. Yes, and I do grieve
to see you go, you alone little one!"

The return voyage was rough and stormy. Mr. Patterson was half-sick and
wholly miserable all the way. He lay pale and silent in his steamer
chair, trying to rouse himself now and then to talk with Pat about
subjects of schoolboy interest. But it was an effort and Pat felt it so;
after a few restless minutes, he was apt to say:--

"Excuse me, father, I've thought of something I want to tell Anne."

"Please tell me when it's ten o'clock, father; Anne and I are to play
ring-toss."

"Anne has been telling a ripping story. I'll go and hear some more of
it, if you don't mind."

Mr. Patterson did mind. He was, though he did not confess it to himself,
jealous of Anne for whom his son was always so ready and eager to leave
him. He justified to himself his dislike of the child by recalling the
jewel episode.

Anne had not given him even the half-way explanation that Mademoiselle
Duroc had obtained. She was going to tell Miss Drayton--how she longed
to see t