led "a
scene."--Very well! (he thought); if it helped poor, dear little
Jacqueline to remember him as a cowardly wretch, as the sort of
ungentlemanly villain of the piece who made engagements to elope with
young women and then broke them--very well, let her so remember him.

Also, the thought occurred to him that if no explanations were to be
made to any one, Philip Benoix would perhaps never hear of the thing he
had tried and failed to do this night. For some odd reason, not entirely
connected with the pistol he had seen in the clergyman's pocket,
Channing wanted to be remembered as pleasantly as possible by Philip
Benoix.

He sighed. "I see! You mean that Jacqueline shall learn to hate me.--As
you wish, of course. I will make no explanations. I give you my word of
honor never to write to her, or--"

"Your word of honor!" For one moment he met the full blast of the scorn
in Kate's eyes, before his own fell again. "Never mind promises, sir. It
will be to your advantage, Mr. Channing, to keep out of my way.
Hereafter I take care of my own!"

For the first time her gaze followed his to the whip in her hands, and
once more she burst out laughing; clear, ringing laughter that wakened
half the car.

"Just a dog-whip," she explained from the door, reassuringly. Her voice
was never sweeter. "I find after all that I shall not need it, you poor
little prowling tomcat!--Good-by."

CHAPTER XXXVII

A rather watery sun was just showing over the tree-tops when Mrs.
Kildare dismissed at her door the automobile she had commandeered,
hoping to slip into the house unnoticed. But the dogs betrayed her. They
were lingering hopefully about the kitchen door, with an eye on Big
Liza, already up and about, for the Madam permitted no shiftless habits
at Storm; and the sound of wheels brought them barking to the front of
the house. Big Liza's curiosity was aroused, and she followed.

"My Lawdy, Miss Kate! whar you bin at?" she demanded, round-eyed. "You
look lak a ghos', you sholy does!"

The Madam put her finger on her lip. "Business--I don't want it
mentioned, Liza. You understand?"

The cook nodded importantly, pursing up her mouth. There is no safer
confidante, as a rule, than a negro servant. The race is very amenable
to the flattery of being trusted, and not too inquisitive about the
doings of a superior order of beings. Kate had no fears with regard to
Liza. It was Mag who bothered her.

The girl, who had not slept