that I thought her willingness to leave
a young girl in a place like this, alone for hours (she did propose to
let me drive back for you) was the most brutal thing I'd ever heard of."

"Oh, how good you were, to sacrifice yourself like that for me!" I
exclaimed.

"It wasn't entirely for you," he said. "One owes some things to oneself.
But when we get to Avignon, and it's settled between you and Lady
Turnour, promise to let me know what you mean to do and give me a chance
to advise you."

I promised. But I was so melancholy as to the future and so ashamed of
myself for the trouble brought upon my only friend, that his efforts to
cheer me were hopeless as an attempt to let off wet fireworks. Mine were
soaked; and instead of admiring the moonlight, which soon flooded the
wild landscape, it made me the more dismal.

The drive by day had seemed short, but now it was long, for I was in
haste to begin the expected battle.

"Courage! and be wise," said Mr. Dane, as he helped me out of the car in
front of the Hotel de l'Europe. "I shall bring up your dinner
again--it's no use saying you don't want anything--and we'll exchange
news."

When lions have to be faced, my theory is that the best thing is to open
the cage door and walk in boldly, not crawl in on your knees, saying:
"Please don't eat me."

I expected Lady Turnour to have a fine appetite for any martyrs lying
about loose, but to my surprise a faint "Come in!" answered my
dauntless knock, and I beheld her prostrate in bed.

She said that I had nearly killed her, and that she would probably not
be able to move for a week; but the story of my adventures with the
gipsy interested her somewhat, and she brightened when she heard of the
old coins found in a hole in the rock. There was not a word about
sending me away, and I suspected that a scene with Sir Samuel had
crushed the lady. Even a worm will turn, and Sir Samuel may be one of
those mild men who, when once roused, are capable of surprising those
who know them best. Quite meekly she desired that I would show her the
coins, and having seen them, she said that she would buy them off me.
Not that they were of any intrinsic value, but they might be "lucky,"
and she would give me a sovereign for the three.

Then an idea came and whispered in my ear. I thanked Lady Turnour
politely, but said I thought I had better keep the coins and show them
to an antiquary. They might be more valuable than we supposed, and I
shou