wards, in view of certain events that followed, for it was
destined to make a link in the strangest chain of circumstances that
ever occurred at St. Chad's.

CHAPTER XIV

A Stolen Meeting

Honor had hurried with the other girls from the garden, laughing and
joking as she went, and was almost in the act of running into the house
when quite unexpectedly something happened, something utterly amazing
and out of the common, and which was to be fraught with entirely
unlooked-for consequences. As she put her foot on the first of the
steps that led to the side door a figure moved silently from under the
shade of a lilac bush close by, and, tapping her upon the arm, drew her
aside with a whispered "Sh-sh!"

Honor suppressed an exclamation of astonishment, and, peering through
the dusk to see who thus accosted her, recognized Annie, an
under-housemaid who had only lately come to St. Chad's.

"I've been waiting to catch you alone, miss," whispered the girl, "and
a difficult matter it's been too. I didn't dare speak to you before the
other young ladies. I'm to give you this letter, safe into your own
hand. I'd never have done it if I hadn't promised so faithful--it's
almost as much as my place is worth!"

"What is it? Who sent it?" asked Honor, taking the note.

"It's from one of the young gentlemen at Orley Grange, and I was to be
sure you got it secretly. Put it in your pocket, miss, and run indoors!
I must be off to the kitchen," and without another word Annie turned
and fled, as if relieved to have accomplished her errand. Full of
curiosity, Honor entered the house. The clock had not yet struck nine,
so, seeing that the light was on in the dressing-room, she peeped
inside. Fortunately, nobody was there, and she was able to go in and
read her letter free from all observation. Its contents appeared to
occasion her no little perplexity and dismay, for she knitted her brows
and shook her head as she replaced the envelope in her pocket. She
went, however, to the recreation room, where the rest of the girls were
assembled waiting for the bell that always rang to proclaim bedtime;
but she was in such an absent and abstracted frame of mind that several
of her friends noticed and remarked upon it.

"What's wrong with Paddy?" asked Lettice. "She's shut up suddenly, like
an oyster. I can't get a word out of her."

"I can't imagine," said Pauline. "I spoke to her just now, and she
didn't seem to hear me."

"It's most u