at Marmion to think of.
Besides, to leave you with her awhile, for the last, seemed more decent.
Perhaps you'll tell me now where you were."

"I was with father and mother. She sent me to them that morning, with a
letter. I don't know what was in it. Perhaps there was money," said
Verena, who evidently now would tell him everything.

"And where did they take you?"

"I don't know--to places. I was in Boston once, for a day; but only in a
carriage. They were as frightened as Olive; they were bound to save me!"

"They shouldn't have brought you here to-night then. How could you
possibly doubt of my coming?"

"I don't know what I thought, and I didn't know, till I saw you, that
all the strength I had hoped for would leave me in a flash, and that if
I attempted to speak--with you sitting there--I should make the most
shameful failure. We had a sickening scene here--I begged for delay, for
time to recover. We waited and waited, and when I heard you at the door
talking to the policeman, it seemed to me everything was gone. But it
will still come back, if you will leave me. They are quiet again--father
must be interesting them."

"I hope he is!" Ransom exclaimed. "If Miss Chancellor ordered the
policeman, she must have expected me."

"That was only after she knew you were in the house. She flew out into
the lobby with father, and they seized him and posted him there. She
locked the door; she seemed to think they would break it down. I didn't
wait for that, but from the moment I knew you were on the other side of
it I couldn't go on--I was paralysed. It has made me feel better to talk
to you--and now I could appear," Verena added.

"My darling child, haven't you a shawl or a mantle?" Ransom returned,
for all answer, looking about him. He perceived, tossed upon a chair, a
long, furred cloak, which he caught up and, before she could resist,
threw over her. She even let him arrange it, and, standing there, draped
from head to foot in it, contented herself with saying, after a moment:

"I don't understand--where shall we go? Where will you take me?"

"We shall catch the night-train for New York, and the first thing in the
morning we shall be married."

Verena remained gazing at him, with swimming eyes. "And what will the
people do? Listen, listen!"

"Your father is ceasing to interest them. They'll howl and thump,
according to their nature."

"Ah, their nature's fine!" Verena pleaded.

"Dearest, that's one of the f