"What could have been more so--devoted as he is to you?"

She hesitated a moment; then with a little laugh--

"He ought to have locked us up and said nothing about it."

"It 's not so easy to lock you up," said Bernard. "I know Wright has
great influence with you, but you are after all independent beings."

"I am not an independent being. If my mother and Mr. Wright were to
agree together to put me out of harm's way they could easily manage it."

"You seem to have been trying something of that sort," said Bernard.
"You have been so terribly invisible."

"It was because I thought you had designs upon us; that you were
watching for us--to take care of us."

"You contradict yourself! You said just now that you believed I had left
Baden."

"That was an artificial--a conventional speech. Is n't a lady always
supposed to say something of that sort to a visitor by way of pretending
to have noticed that she has not seen him?"

"You know I would never have left Baden without coming to bid you
good-bye," said Bernard.

The girl made no rejoinder; she stood looking out at the little sunny,
slanting, rough-paved German street.

"Are you taking care of us now?" she asked in a moment. "Has the
operation begun? Have you heard the news, mamma?" she went on. "Do you
know that Mr. Wright has made us over to Mr. Longueville, to be kept
till called for? Suppose Mr. Wright should never call for us!"

Mrs. Vivian left her writing-table and came toward Bernard, smiling at
him and pressing her hands together.

"There is no fear of that, I think," she said. "I am sure I am very glad
we have a gentleman near us. I think you will be a very good care-taker,
Mr. Longueville, and I recommend my daughter to put great faith in
your judgment." And Mrs. Vivian gave him an intense--a pleading, almost
affecting--little smile.

"I am greatly touched by your confidence and I shall do everything I can
think of to merit it," said the young man.

"Ah, mamma's confidence is wonderful!" Angela exclaimed. "There was
never anything like mamma's confidence. I am very different; I have no
confidence. And then I don't like being deposited, like a parcel, or
being watched, like a curious animal. I am too fond of my liberty."

"That is the second time you have contradicted yourself," said Bernard.
"You said just now that you were not an independent being."

Angela turned toward him quickly, smiling and frowning at once.

"You do watch one, cert