you?" he cried, his hand going instinctively to his
watch-pocket as if doubting that it was night instead of morning.

"I've--I've run away from them," she stammered. "It's two
o'clock--don't look! Oh, I'm so sorry now--why did I--"

"You ran away?" he exclaimed, coming toward her. "Oh, it can't be a
dream. You are there, aren't you?" She was a pitiable object as she
stood there, powerless to retreat, shaking like a leaf. He took her by
the shoulder. "Yes--it is _you_. Good Lord, what does it mean? What
has happened? How did you come here? Are you alone?"

"Utterly, miserably alone. Oh, Mr. Shaw!" she cried despairingly. "You
_will_ understand, won't you?"

"Never! Never as long as I live. It is beyond comprehension. The
wonderful part of it all is that I was sitting in there dreaming of
you--yes, I was. I heard some one out here, investigated and found
you--_you_, of all people in the world. And I was dreaming that I held
you in my arms. Yes, I was! I was dreaming it--"

"Mr. Shaw! You shouldn't--"

"And I awoke to find you--not in my arms, not in Bazelhurst Villa, but
here--here on my porch."

"Like a thief in the night," she murmured. "What _do_ you think of
me?"

"Shall I tell you--really?" he cried. The light in his eyes drove her
back a step or two, panic in her heart.

"N--no, no--not now!" she gasped, but a great wave of exaltation swept
through her being. He turned and walked away, too dazed to speak.
Without knowing it, she followed with hesitating steps. At the edge of
the porch he paused and looked into the darkness.

"By Jove, I _must_ be dreaming," she heard him mutter.

"No, you are not," she declared desperately. "I _am_ here. I ask your
protection for the night. I am going away--to England--to-morrow. I
couldn't stay there--I just couldn't. I'm sorry I came here--I'm--"

"Thank haven, you _did_ come," he exclaimed, turning to her
joyously. "You are like a fairy--the fairy princess come true. It's
unbelievable! But--but what was it you said about England?" he
concluded, suddenly sober.

"I am go--going home. There's no place else. I can't live with her,"
she said, a bit tremulously.

"To England? At once? Your father--will he--"

"My father? I have no father. Oh!" with a sudden start. Her eyes met
his in a helpless stare. "I never thought. My home was at Bazelhurst
Castle--their home. I can't go there. Good heavens, what am I to do?"

A long time afterward she recalled his exultant e