who had already been looking up the narrow line of wet
rails under his umbrella for an hour, regarded the speaker menacingly,
and turned away with the ironical comment in his own mind that the
Northern Line and its station agent might be--what amounted to
Calvinized--before _he_ sought them.

The night express came thundering along at midnight. It bore away the
visitor. Stringhampton saw him no more.

In the mean time Anne and her companion had ridden on during the night,
and the younger woman had explained to the elder as well as she could
the cause of her sudden action. "It was not right that I should hear or
that he should speak such words."

"He had but little time in which to speak them," said Jeanne-Armande,
stiffly. "He spent most of the day with me. But, in any case, why run
away? Why could you not have repelled him quietly, and with the proper
dignity of a lady, and yet remained where you were, comfortably, and
allowed me to remain as well?"

"I _could_ not," said Anne. Then, after a moment, "Dear mademoiselle,"
she added, "do not ask me any more questions. I have done wrong, and I
have been very, very unhappy. It is over now, and with your help I hope
to have a long winter of quiet and patient labor. I am grateful to you;
you do not know how grateful. Save those far away on the island, you
seem to me now the only friend I have on earth." Her voice broke.

Jeanne-Armande's better feelings were touched. "My poor child!" she
said, pityingly.

And then Anne laid her head down upon the Frenchwoman's shoulder, and
sobbed as if her heart would break.

They reached Weston the next day. The journey was ended.

Mademoiselle selected new lodgings, in a quarter which overlooked the
lake. She never occupied the same rooms two seasons in succession, lest
she should be regarded as "an old friend," and expected to make
concessions accordingly. On the second day she called ceremoniously upon
the principal of the school, sending in her old-fashioned glazed card,
with her name engraved upon it, together with a minute "Paris" in one
corner. To this important personage she formally presented her
candidate, endowing her with so large a variety of brilliant qualities
and accomplishments that the candidate was filled with astonishment, and
came near denying them, had she not been prevented by the silent meaning
pressure of a gaiter that divined her intention, and forbade the
revelation. Fortunately an under-teacher was neede