irking
her duty. Her relief was not unmixed, for at times she felt convicted
of disloyalty.

Ever since the episode of the spool of twist Caroline had been a
little disagreeable, though in an intangible way that hardly stood
analysis. Where Charlotte was concerned, Miss Virginia considered her
sister's severity extreme, and she had been hurt that her own protest
and plea of extenuating circumstances should have been so scornfully
dismissed. Now if events turned out as they promised, all would be
well again. If only she dared give Charlotte a hint. The child looked
pale and unhappy.

Could there be any harm in saying to her that something was about to
happen which would make everything right? Miss Virginia resolved to do
it. There could be no reasonable doubt as to what Caroline's decision
would be. She ran upstairs light-heartedly.

Charlotte's door was closed, perhaps she was already asleep. Softly
Miss Virginia turned the knob. The room was dark, except for the
outside electric light that threw a vivid shadow of the window-frame
and curtain on the opposite wall. She crossed the room to lower the
blind, and as she did so, discovered the bed was unoccupied.

[Illustration: SHE SANK INTO A CHAIR.]

With nervous haste she searched for the matches. Why did she tremble
so? It seemed an age till she found them. No, Charlotte was not
there; but how absurd to be alarmed, she must be somewhere in the
house. Mechanically Miss Virginia began to fold a ribbon that lay on
the dressing-table. Then her eye fell on a folded paper addressed to
herself. Scarcely able to breathe, she sank into a chair and opened
it. It was written in a large, schoolgirl hand.

"DEAR AUNT VIRGINIA: I am going away to Uncle Landor.
I am sorry to give you so much trouble. I am going to
ask him to send me to boarding school, because I can't
stand it any longer. I know how to go to Philadelphia,
and I have money enough. I did not mean to be
deceitful, but Miss Alex said I was, and that I was
making you miserable, so I think I ought to go.

"Your niece,
"CHARLOTTE CRESTON."

To Philadelphia--that child! Miss Virginia, who never travelled alone,
was overcome with the terror of it. What could she do? Was it too late
to stop her? Oh, for some one to help! She ran out into the hall, but
something checked her first impulse to call the s