nk?" he inquired, as they moved toward the door, the
train having now entered the Grand Central Station.

"No; I left everything but a few necessary articles--I can send for it
later by express," she responded.

The young man assisted her from the train, then replacing her hand
upon his arm, was about to signal for a carriage when they were
suddenly confronted by a policeman and brought to a halt in the most
summary manner.

"Sorry to trouble you, sir," said the man, speaking in a business-like
tone to Mr. Bryant, "but I have orders to take this lady into
custody."

CHAPTER XXIV.

A SAD STORY DISCLOSED TO AN EAGER LISTENER.

Royal Bryant was not very much surprised by this abrupt information
and interference with their movements.

What Edith had said to him, just before getting out of the train, had
suggested the possibility of such an incident, consequently he was not
thrown off his guard, as he might otherwise have been.

At the same time he flushed up hotly, and, confronting the officer
with flashing eyes, remarked, with freezing hauteur:

"I do not understand you, sir. I think you have made a mistake; this
lady is under my protection."

"But I have orders to intercept a person answering to this lady's
description," returned the policeman, but speaking with not quite his
previous assurance.

"By whose orders are you acting, if I may inquire?" demanded the young
man.

"A Boston party."

"And the lady's name, if you please?"

"No name is given, sir; but she is described as a girl of about
twenty, pure blonde, very pretty, slight and graceful in figure,
wearing a dark-brown dress and jacket and a brown hat with black
feathers. She will be alone and has no baggage," said the policeman,
reading from the telegram which he had received some two hours
previous.

Mr. Bryant smiled loftily.

"Your description hits the case in some respects, I admit," he
observed, with an appreciative glance at Edith, who stood beside him
outwardly calm and collected, though the hand that rested upon his arm
was tense with repressed emotion, "but in others it is wide of its
mark. You have her personal appearance, in a general way, and the
dress happens to correspond in everything but the hat. You will
observe that the lady wears a black hat with a scarlet wing instead of
a brown one with black feathers. She did not arrive alone, either, as
you perceive, we got off the train together."

The officer looked perplex