k and you don't know her address! Do you mean you
don't know where she has gone?"

"Yes."

"What--? Are you trying to tell me she is not coming back at all?"

"I am afraid not."

He was very pale. He seized my arm.

"What is all this?" he demanded, fiercely. "What has happened? Tell me;
I want to know. Where is she? Why did she go? Tell me!"

"I can tell you nothing," I said, as calmly as I could. "She left us
very suddenly and she is not coming back. Her reason for leaving I can't
tell you, now. I don't know where she is and I have no right to try and
find out. She has asked that no one follow her or interfere with her in
any way. I respect her wish and I advise you, if you wish to remain her
friend, to do the same, for the present, at least. That is all I can
tell you."

He shook my arm savagely.

"By George!" he cried, "you must tell me. I'll make you! I--I--Do you
think me a fool? Do you suppose I believe such rot as that? You tell me
she has gone--has left Mayberry--and you don't know where she has gone
and don't intend trying to find out. Why--"

"There, Bayliss! that is enough. This is not the place for us to
quarrel. And there is no reason why we should quarrel at all. I have
told you all that I can tell you now. Some day I may tell you more, but
until then you must be patient, for her sake. Her leaving Mayberry had
no connection with you whatever. You must be contented with that."

"Contented! Why, man, you're mad. She is your niece. You are her
guardian and--"

"I am not her guardian. Neither is she my niece."

I had spoken involuntarily. Certainly I had not intended telling him
that. The speech had the effect of causing him to drop my arm and step
back. He stared at me blankly. No doubt he did think me crazy, then.

"I have no authority over her in any way," I went on. "She is Miss
Cahoon's niece, but we are not her guardians. She has left our home of
her own free will and neither I nor you nor anyone else shall follow
her if I can help it. I am sorry to have deceived you. The deceit was
unavoidable, or seemed to be. I am very, very sorry for you. That is all
I can say now. Good morning."

I left him standing there in the street and walked away. He called after
me, but I did not turn back. He would have followed me, of course, but
when I did look back I saw that the landlord of the inn was trying to
talk with him and was detaining him. I was glad that the landlord had
appeared so opportunely