fainted.
How silly of me. I never did that in my life before. I had a terrible
scare, but I'm all right now."

The man who had carried her to the house came forward.

"My name is Hampton, miss. I am a guard over at the asylum. Those other
men you saw are employed there, too. We were looking for one of our people
who escaped night before last. He nearly killed his keeper. He's the worst
patient we have out there. Thinks he's Napoleon. Judging from your fright,
I guess you must have met him. Did you really lock him in that old house?"

"Indeed I did," answered Grace, who was rapidly recovering from the
effects of her fright. "He took me for the Empress Josephine." She related
all that had happened, ending with the way she locked his emperorship in.

"Well, all I've got to say is that you're the pluckiest girl I ever came
across," said the man admiringly, when Grace had finished.

But she shook her head.

"I never was so frightened in my life before. I shall never forget his
screams."

It was after eight o'clock when Grace Harlowe arrived at her own door. The
man Hampton had insisted on calling a carriage, so Grace rode home in
state. As she neared the house she saw that the lawn and porch were full
of people.

"What on earth is the matter!" she asked herself. As she alighted from the
carriage her mother rushed forward and took her in her arms.

"My darling child," she sobbed. "What a narrow escape you have had. You
must never, never wander off alone again."

"Why, mother, how did you know anything about it?"

"When you didn't come home to supper I felt worried, for you had not told
me that you were invited anywhere. Then Nora came down to see you, and
seemed surprised not to find you at home. She said you had gone on a
specimen hunt after school. I became frightened and sent your father out
at once to look for you. He met the keepers with that dreadful man," said
Mrs. Harlowe, shuddering, "and they described you, telling him where you
were and how they had met you. Your father went straight out to the
Forrests. I suppose you just missed him."

Grace hugged her mother tenderly. "Don't worry, mother. I'm all right.
What are all these people standing around for?"

"They came to see you, of course. The news is all over town. Everyone is
devoured with curiosity to hear your story."

"It looks as though I had become a celebrity at last," laughed Grace.

She was obliged to tell the story of her adventure over an