one of the very commonest incidents of her life.

"Oh, I don't think it's a bear."

"Well, then, it's a tiger or a lion, or perhaps a wolf. I'm sure _I_
don't see what difference it makes what one is eaten by, when one
_has_ to be eaten."

"It's a man!" said Mrs. Willoughby, tremulously.

"A man!--nonsense, Kitty darling. A man walks; he doesn't go on
all-fours, except when he is very, very small."

"Hush! it's some one coming to help us. Watch him, Minnie dear. Oh,
how dangerous!"

"Do you really think so?" said Minnie, with evident pleasure. "Now
that is really kind. But I wonder who it _can_ be?"

Mrs. Willoughby squeezed her hand, and made no reply. She was watching
the slow and cautious movement of the shadowy figure.

"He's coming nearer!" said she, tremulously.

Minnie felt her sister's hand throb at the quick movement of her
heart, and heard her short, quick breathing.

"Who _can_ it be, I wonder?" said Minnie, full of curiosity, but
without any excitement at all.

"Oh, Minnie!"

"What's the matter, darling?"

"It's so terrible."

"What?"

"This suspense. Oh, I'm so afraid!"

"Afraid! Why, I'm not afraid at all."

"Oh! he'll be caught."

"No, he won't," said Minnie, confidently. "I _knew_ he'd come. They
_always_ do. Don't be afraid that he'll be caught, or that he'll fail.
They _never_ fail. They always _will_ save me. Wait till your life has
been saved as often as mine has, Kitty darling. Oh, I expected it all!
I was thinking a little while ago he ought to be here soon."

"He! Who?"

"Why, any person; the person who is going to save me this time. I
don't know, of course, who he is; some horrid man, of course. And
then--oh dear!--I'll have it all over again. He'll carry me away on
his back, and through those wretched woods, and bump me against the
trees and things. Then he'll get me to the road, and put me on a
horrid old horse, and gallop away. And by that time it will be
morning. And then he'll propose. And so there'll be another. And I
don't know what I _shall_ do about it. Oh dear!"

Mrs. Willoughby had not heard half of this. All her soul was intent
upon the figure outside. She only pressed her sister's hand, and gave
a warning "Hus-s-s-h!"

"I know one thing I _do_ wish," said Minnie.

Her sister made no reply.

"I do wish it would turn out to be that nice, dear, good, kind Rufus
K. Gunn. I don't want any more of them. And I'm sure he's nicer than
this horrid Count, who w