bit of paper from the fly-leaf of a book on the table, she
took from the deep pocket of her coat a little pencil, and scribbled a
message--as short, almost, as that which had announced to Leonard her
previous decision.

"I can't go on with you. I am going. TONI."

She had no time for more. Every second was precious; and even now she
doubted whether she were in time to make her escape.

She opened the door and listened. Nothing was heard but the mutter of
voices in the bar downstairs; and there was no one in sight. A moment
she stood, her heart in her throat, driven nearly distracted between
impatience and terror. Then she turned back into the room, snatched up
her gloves and purse from the table and ran down the broad stairs and
across the square hall with frenzied haste.

A sound of footsteps in a passage close at hand made her start
nervously. Without delaying a second she opened the great door, letting
in a rush of cold, raw air, and, not venturing to look round, lest even
now she should be intercepted in her flight, she slipped through the
aperture and fled into the night.

CHAPTER XXVI

At nine o'clock that same evening Jim Herrick, alone in his shabby yet
delightful little sitting-room, was roused from his contemplation of an
etching he had picked up in town that day by a deep-throated bark from
Olga. She had been lying in the hall; and doubtless her sharp ears had
heard some approaching footstep which to his duller human hearing was
inaudible.

Eva was upstairs, trying on some finery she had purchased in London; and
after waiting a moment Herrick went into the hall to investigate.

Someone was knocking now on the door, thereby rousing Olga's wrath; and
Herrick held her firmly by the collar as he went to answer the summons.

On the doorstep, an indistinct figure in the fog, stood a young man, and
on seeing Herrick he began at once to unfold his errand.

"Mr. Herrick, beg pardon, sir; master's sent me over to ask if Mrs. Rose
is here."

"Mrs. Rose? Are you from Greenriver?"

"Yes, sir. I'm Andrews, sir, and we're all a bit anxious about the
mistress. She wasn't at home for dinner, and no one saw her go out."

"Comes inside a minute." The man obeying, Herrick closed the door and,
still holding Olga's collar, led the way to the sitting-room.

"Now, tell me, as shortly as possible, why you thought Mrs. Rose might
be here?"

"It was Kate's idea, sir--the parlourmaid. When Mrs. Ross didn'