to blame for permitting her
charge to escape, and she will be more wary in future."

[Illustration: "This is a bad night for ladies to be abroad!"--page
393.]

Then turning again to Cora, who had flung herself in a chair and sat
gazing from one to the other in sullen silence, she said, with a smile
on her lips: "You should not work against your own interests, Mrs.
Arthur. Had you succeeded in escaping on the midnight express, who,
think you, would have been summoned to meet you on your arrival in the
city?"

"Doubtless an officer," replied the woman, doggedly. "I might have
known you for a sleuth hound who would guard every avenue."

"Thanks; you do me honor. I should not have summoned an officer,
however; there is some one else waiting anxiously to welcome you
there."

"Indeed," sarcastically; "who?"

"_Old Verage._"

Cora started up in her chair. "For God's sake, _what_ are you?"

"A witch," said the girl, demurely. "I am as old as the world, and can
fly through the air on a broomstick, so don't think to escape me
again, step-mamma. I trust you will enjoy your brief repose, for it
will soon be morning, and if I don't see your fair face at the
breakfast table, I shall not be content."

Cora put two fingers to her blistered cheek, saying: "You can't ask me
to come down with this face."

"True, I can't. Good-night, step-mamma; it would have been better if
you had let the doctor pull that tooth."

And Miss Payne swept away, leaving the would-be fugitive to her own
reflections.

CHAPTER XLIII.

THE DOCTOR'S WOOING.

Mrs. Ralston had become to Olive Girard as one of the family. There
was a strange affinity between the two women, who had known so much of
sorrow, so many dark, dark days. As yet, however, there was not entire
confidence. Mrs. Ralston knew nothing of the movements then on foot to
liberate the husband of her hostess; and Olive knew no more of Mrs.
Ralston's past than had been communicated by Claire, which was in
reality but very little.

Dr. Vaughan had become an ardent admirer of the grave, sweet, pale
lady, who had, in her turn, conceived a very earnest admiration for
him.

Always a close student of the human countenance, Mrs. Ralston had not
been long in reading in the face of the young man his regard for
Claire Keith. Having discovered this, she studied him still more
attentively, coming, at last, to the conclusion that he was worthy of
her beloved Claire.

But Claire appea