ence everywhere, which let her hear the rushing
sound in her ears and the beating of her heart. At last the
magistrate spoke again.

"Tell me, is the lady your own mother?"

Another question--worse than the first.

"You must answer," the magistrate said, sharply; "and quickly too!"

"Oh, I dare not!" burst from poor Elsie's frightened lips. "They will
kill Duncan if I do!"

Then in a moment she knew she had said too much. In her fright she
had not seen the meaning of her own words.

"Who is Duncan?" the white-haired gentleman asked kindly.

"My brother," Elsie answered, with a big sob.

"Where is he?"

"In Edinburgh; and he's dreadfully ill," Elsie answered, forgetting
every other thought in her anxiety for Duncan, and the generally
bewildered state of her mind.

"Is he with his mother?"

"Oh, no! he's all alone, unless he's in the hospital. I don't know
quite where he is, only they promised he should go to the hospital."

"Who promised?"

Again Elsie was silent; she could find no answer to that question.
The gentleman did not seem angry, but asked another.

"Where is your mother?"

"Which one do you mean, please, sir?" Elsie asked, in a moment of
utter bewilderment.

"Then the lady who was with you yesterday is not really your mother?"

"No," Elsie faintly admitted. She could hold out no longer against
the questioning, but was feeling very much like you all do when you
are playing at "old soldier," and, try as you will, at last the "Yes"
or "No" pops out unawares. She, too, was very frightened and
confused, which you would not be.

"Come, we are getting on now," the old gentleman said, kindly. "Do
not be frightened. Did this lady tell you to call her mamma?"

"Yes, sir, but--I must not tell you anything."

[Illustration: "SHE WAS PLACED IN A CAB" (_p. 259_).]

"And she is not your mamma, then, after all?"

"No."

"Are you frightened of her?"

"Yes," Elsie exclaimed, with a quick, fearful glance round.

"Now, I promise you that she shall do you no harm, if you tell me the
truth. How did you come to be with her? Just tell me how it was."

The old gentleman spoke with great assurance and kindliness, but
still Elsie could not cast off the spell of fear Mrs. Donaldson still
held over her. She had an almost superstitious belief that the "fairy
mother" would find a way to work out her threats. For all she knew,
she might even now have sent that message to Edinburgh which was to
seal Duncan's