eks later. She could tell Aunt
Lois whatever the old lady desired to hear about him, and assure her
that nothing would induce him ever to return to his former life. The
letter said as much. When night came they went off over the hills
together to the nearest railway station, where he left her to find her
way to the city, while he went on to a different station and took a late
train to New York. By these methods he felt hopeful that his violation
of the rules of disappearing would have no evil results for him, beyond
that momentary return of the old anguish which had frightened him more
than Sonia's detectives.

In four weeks old Martha returned from her mission, and told this story
as they sat in the pleasant kitchen near a cheery fire.

"I rented a room in the neighborhood of your Aunt Lois' house, and
settled myself to wait for the most natural opportunity to meet her. It
was long in coming, for she had been sick; but when she got better I saw
her going out to ride, and a little later she took to walking in the
park with her maid. There she often sat, and chatted with passing
children, or with old women like herself, poor old things trying to get
life from the air. The maid is a spy. She noted every soul about, and
had an extra glance for me when your aunt spoke to me, after I had
waited three weeks for a word. I told her my story, as I told it to you.
She was interested, and I must go to her house to take lunch with her. I
refused. I was not used to such invitations, but I would call on her at
other times. And the maid listened the more. She was never out of
hearing, nor out of sight, until Aunt Lois would get into a rage, and
bid her take a walk. It was then I handed her the letter under my shawl.
The maid's eyes could not see through the shawl. I told her what you bid
me: that you would never return again, no more than if you were dead,
that she must burn the letter so that none would know a letter had been
received and burned, and that she would understand many things when she
had read it; most particular that she was surrounded by spies, and that
she must go right on as if nothing had happened, and deceive as she had
been deceived.

"I met her only twice after that. I told her my plan to deceive the
maid. I was a shrewd beggar studying to get money out of her, with a
story about going to my son in Washington. She bid the maid secretly
find out if I was worthy, and I saw the maid in private, and begged her
to r