looded my dull
brain.

"She is; I do not wish to speak ill of her, but I do wish to keep away
from her. She is not kind to me, to say the very least."

I pitied her, and I saw by Bob's looks that he was not at all behind me
in the outflow of his sympathy. I had read stories enough about "awful
step-mothers" to form an idea of Kate's situation, though I had no
prejudices against step-mothers, as such. Bob Hale's father had married
a second wife, but Bob and his sister would never have known from her
treatment of them, that she was not their own mother.

If Kate was not a very pretty girl, she was certainly a very interesting
one. Her form was grace itself, but her eyes were all that was pretty
about her face; and when I looked at her I was not willing to believe it
possible that any one, and especially one bearing her father's name,
could ill-treat her.

By this time the boat had gone to the farther corner of the lake, and it
was necessary to brace her up or come about. I went aft to take the
helm, and Kate followed me, taking a seat at my side. I put the tiller
hard down, and the Splash came about, heading towards Cannondale. Our
passenger was quick to discern the course, and became quite excited
again.

"You are taking me home again!" exclaimed she. "O, Ernest Thornton! you
will not do that. Let me land here, anywhere, even on that island, but
do not give me back to her."

"I don't know what to do, Miss Loraine; but I think you ought to have
dry clothes at once."

"Have pity upon me, and do not take me home," pleaded she.

She was so agitated that I became alarmed; and to pacify her, I came
about again, and steered for Parkville.

CHAPTER II.

IN WHICH ERNEST LISTENS TO THE STORY OF MISS KATE LORAINE.

FORTUNATELY the day was warm and the sun shining brightly, or our gentle
passenger must have suffered severely from the effects of her voluntary
bath. I do not know that I ever felt more embarrassed and perplexed than
I did when I sat in the Splash that day, with Miss Kate Loraine at my
side, her dress hanging "slinky" and dripping upon her. Certainly there
was nothing sentimental in the affair, for, though I was willing to
become a knight errant in a good cause, the situation was so awkward
that I could not enjoy it.

Bob Hale was as much in trouble as I was, and he could not tell what to
do any better than I could. Neither of us was willing to assume the
responsibility of taking the young lady f