a state-call at
Netherglen. Just as she was leaving the station, a thought occurred to
her, and she turned back.

"I said I would telegraph to Mrs. Baxter as soon as I reached Muirside.
Is it too late?"

"The office is shut, I think."

"I am so sorry! She will be anxious."

"Not if you telegraph first thing in the morning," said Hugo,
soothingly. "Or--stay: I'll tell you what you can do. Come with me here,
into the waiting-room--now you can write your message on a leaf of my
pocket-book, and we will leave it with the station-master, to be sent
off as soon as possible."

"What shall I say?" said Kitty, sitting down at the painted deal table,
which was sparsely adorned with a water-bottle and a tract, and chafing
her little cold hands. "Do write it for me, Hugo, please. My fingers are
quite numb."

"Poor little fingers! You will be warmer soon," said Hugo, with more of
his usual manner. "I will write in your name then. 'Arrived safely and
found my father much better, but will write in a day or two and give
particulars.' That does not tie you down, you see. You may be too busy
to write to-morrow."

"Thank you. It will do very nicely."

She was left for a few minutes, whilst he went to the station-master
with the message, and she took the opportunity of looking at herself in
the glass above the mantelpiece, partly in order to see whether her
bonnet was straight, partly in order to escape the stare of the
waiting-room woman, who seemed to take a great deal of interest in her
movements. Kitty was rather vexed when Hugo returned, to hear him say,
in a very distinct tone:--

"Come, dearest. We shall be late if we don't set off at once."

"Hugo!" she ejaculated, as she met him at the door.

"What is it, dear? What is wrong?"

It seemed to her that he made his words still more purposely distinct.
The woman in the waiting-room came to the door, and gazed after them as
they moved away towards the carriage which stood in waiting. They made a
handsome pair, and Hugo looked particularly lover-like as he gave the
girl his arm and bent his head to listen to what she had to say. But
Kitty's words were not loving; they were only indignant and distressed.

"You should not speak to me in that way," she said.

But Hugo laughed and pressed her arm as he helped her into the carriage.
The man Stevens was already on the box. Hugo entered with her, closed
the door and drew up the window. The carriage drove away into the
darknes