ghten me!"

"Did they stop with trying to frighten Charley Norton?" demanded Bess
with harsh insistence.

Whatever the promptings that inspired this warning, they plainly had
nothing to do with either liking or sympathy. Her dominating emotion
seemed to be a sullen sort of resentment which lit up her glance with a
dull fire; yet her feelings were so clearly and so keenly personal that
Betty understood the motive that had brought her there. The explanation,
she found, left her wondering just where and how her own fate was linked
with that of this poor white.

"You have been waiting some time to see me?" she asked.

"Ever since along about noon."

"You were afraid to come to the house?"

"I didn't want to be seen there."

"And yet you knew I was alone."

"Alone--but how do you know who's watching the place?"

"Do you think there was reason to be afraid of that?" asked Betty.

Again the girl stamped her foot with angry impatience.

"You're just wastin' time--just foolin' it away--and you ain't got none
to spare!"

"You must tell me what I have to fear--I must know more or I shall stay
just where I am!"

"Well, then, stay!" The girl turned away, and then as quickly turned
back and faced Betty once more. "I reckon he'd kill me if he knew--I
reckon I've earned that already--"

"Of whom are you speaking?"

"He'll have you away from here to-night!"

"He?... who?... and what if I refuse to go?"

"Did they ask Charley Norton whether he wanted to live or die?" came the
sinister question.

A shiver passed through Betty. She was seeing it all again--Charley as
he groped among the graves with the hand of death heavy upon him.

A moment later she was alone. The girl had disappeared. There was only
the shifting shadows as the wind tossed the branches of the trees, and
the bands of golden light that slanted along the empty path. The fear of
the unknown leaped up afresh in Betty's soul, in an instant her flying
feet had borne her to the boy's side.

"Come--come quick, Hannibal!" she gasped out, and seized his hand.

"What is it, Miss Betty? What's the matter?" asked Hannibal as they fled
panting up the terraces.

"I don't know--only we must get away from here just as soon as we can!"
Then, seeing the look of alarm on the child's face, she added more
quietly, "Don't be frightened, dear, only we must go away from Belle
Plain at once." But where they were to go, she had not considered.

Reaching the house, they