there, as far from that dreadful "Abbey" as
possible. I took her arm.

"Come," I said, "I will tell you as we go. Come with me now."

She freed her arm.

"I am not coming with you," she said. "Why did you come here?"

"I came--I came--Why did YOU come? Why did you leave us as you did?
Without a word!"

She turned and faced me.

"You know why I left you," she said. "You know. You knew all the
time. And yet you let me believe--You let me think--I lived upon your
money--I--I--Oh, don't speak of it! Go away! please go away and leave
me."

"I am not going away--without you. I came to get you to go back with me.
You don't understand. Your aunt and I want you to come with us. We want
you to come and live with us again. We--"

She interrupted. I doubt if she had comprehended more than the first few
words of what I was saying.

"Please go away," she begged. "I know I owe you money, so much money.
I shall pay it. I mean to pay it all. At first I could not. I could not
earn it. I tried. Oh, I tried SO hard! In London I tried and tried, but
all the companies were filled, it was late in the season and I--no one
would have me. Then I got this chance through an agency. I am succeeding
here. I am earning the money at last. I am saving--I have saved--And now
you come to--Oh, PLEASE go and leave me!"

Her firmness had gone. She was on the verge of tears. I tried to take
her hands again, but she would not permit it.

"I shall not go," I persisted, as gently as I could. "Or when I go you
must go with me. You don't understand."

"But I do understand. My aunt--Miss Cahoon told me. I understand it all.
Oh, if I had only understood at first."

"But you don't understand--now. Your aunt and I knew the truth from the
beginning. That made no difference. We were glad to have you with us. We
want you to come back. You are our relative--"

"I am not. I am not really related to you in any way. You know I am
not."

"You are related to Miss Cahoon. You are her sister's daughter. She
wants you to come. She wants you to live with us again, just as you did
before."

"She wants that! She--But it was your money that paid for the very
clothes I wore. Your money--not hers; she said so."

"That doesn't make any difference. She wants you and--"

I was about to add "and so do I," but she did not permit me to finish
the sentence. She interrupted again, and there was a change in her tone.

"Stop! Oh, stop!" she cried. "She wanted me and--an