ome one who was tall, and slight; and muffled in a long cloak.

He passed through the baize door, before she had time to see his face,
closed it after him, and was gone.

Rose locked her door, afraid of she know not what; and sat down on the
bedside to think. Who was this Mr. Richards who passed for an invalid,
and who was no invalid? Why was he shut up here, where no one could see
him, and why was all this mystery? Rose thought of "Jane Eyre" and Mr.
Rochester's wife, but Mr. Richards could not be mad or they never would
trust him out alone at night. What, too, would her father say to her
to-morrow? She quailed a little at the thought; she had never seen her
indulgent father out of temper in her life. He took the most
disagreeable contre-temps with imperturbable good-humour, but how would
he take this?

"I should not like to offend papa," thought Rose, uneasily. "He is very
good to me, and does everything I ask him. I do hope he won't be angry.
I almost wish I had not gone!"

There was no sleep for her that night. When morning came, she was almost
afraid to go down to breakfast and face her father; but when the bell
rang, and she did descend, her father was not there.

Ogden came in with his master's excuses--Captain Danton was very busy,
and would breakfast in his study. The news took away Rose's morning
appetite; she sat crumbling her roll on her plate, and feeling that
Ogden had told him, and that that was the cause of his non-appearance.

As they rose from the table, Ogden entered again, bowed gravely to Rose,
and informed her she was wanted in the study.

Kate looked at her sister in surprise, and noticed with wonder her
changing face. But Rose, without a word, followed the valet, her heart
throbbing faster than it had throbbed last night.

Captain Danton was pacing up and down his study when she entered, with
the sternest face she had ever seen him wear. In silence he pointed to a
seat, continuing his walk; his daughter sat down, pale, but otherwise
dauntless.

"Rose!" he said, stopping before her, "what took you into Mr. Richards'
rooms last night?"

"Curiosity, papa," replied Rose, readily, but in secret quaking.

"Do you know you did a very mean act? Do you know you were playing the
spy?"

The colour rushed to Rose's face, and her head dropped.

"You knew you were forbidden to enter there; you knew you were prying
into what was no affair of yours; you knew you were doing wrong, and
would disple