any
kilometres."

"I shall be all right, thank you," Barbara said gleefully, thinking how
nice it was to escape into the fresh, sunny air after the close
third-class carriage. "There is no sea to catch me _this_ time, you
know."

Mademoiselle shook her finger at her. "Naughty, naughty! to remind me
of that terrible time--it almost makes me fear to let you go." At
which Barbara mounted hastily, in case she should be called back,
although the train had begun to move.

"Repeat your directions," her companion shrieked after her, and the
girl, with a laugh, murmured to herself, "Turn to the right, then the
left, by a large house, then through a narrow lane, and _voila_ the
high-road!" She had no doubt at all about knowing them perfectly.
Unfortunately for her calculations, when she came to the turning-point
there were _two_ lanes leading off right and left, and on this point
Mademoiselle Therese had given her no instructions. There was nobody
near to ask. So, after considering them both, she decided to take the
one that looked widest. After all, if it were wrong, she could easily
turn back.

She had gone but a little way, however, when she saw another cyclist
approaching, and, thinking that here was a chance to find out if she
were right before going any farther, she jumped off her machine and
stood waiting. When the new-comer was quite close to her she noticed
that he was not a very prepossessing individual, and remembered that
she had been warned in foreign countries always to look at people
before speaking to them. But it was too late then. So making the best
of it, she asked boldly which was the nearest way to Dol. The man
stared at her for a moment, then said she should go straight on, and
would soon arrive at the highroad.

"But I will conduct you so far if you like, madame," he added.

Barbara had seen him looking rather intently at her watch and chain,
however, and began to feel a little uneasy.

"Oh, no, thank you," she rejoined hastily. "I can manage very well
myself," and, springing on to her bicycle, set off at a good speed. He
stood in the road for a few minutes as if meditating; but, when she
looked back at the corner, she saw that he had mounted too, and was
coming down the road after her. There might be no harm in that; but it
did not add to her happiness; and the watch and chain, which had been
Aunt Anne's last gift to her, seemed to weigh heavily upon her neck.

There was no thought