must tell her I had hoped
to see her before this, but I have been unusually busy, and every
moment has been taken up. Now tell me, isn't it as I said? Hasn't she
completely won your heart? Aha! I see she has! I see she has!"

Nan flushed and stammered, and did not reply. Inwardly, she was in a
turmoil. Either Miss Blake had not come here at all or the lawyer was
trying to baffle her. And if Miss Blake had not come here, then where
was she? A sort of dumb terror took hold of the girl and shook her
from head to foot.

"You see I was right," pursued the lawyer, cheerfully. "I knew you
would surrender to her the first thing. Every one does. I think I
never knew any one who was more universally loved. Now, how can I help
you, my dear? Give you some extra pin-money to buy Miss Blake a
Christmas present, eh? Is that it?"

Nan caught at the suggestion eagerly as being a way out of her
difficulty, and nodded a gulping assent.

"Well, you needn't have traveled all this distance for such a simple
matter, my dear," he assured her genially. "And after dark, too! A
note would have served, you know; a note would have served. But I'm
glad you like her so well, and you shall have the money at once. Your
father would be delighted I am sure."

It was only after Nan had been gone some time that Mr. Turner
remembered with a start that she was alone and that it was night. It
was too late then to overtake her, so he had to resign himself with the
thought that the girl was admirably self-reliant, and that her way lay
almost entirely along well-lit and busy avenues.

The thought of danger did not occupy Nan for a moment. Her only fear
now was for the governess. If she wasn't at Mr. Turner's, then where
was she? She asked herself this question over and over again. The
girl blushed as she thought of the untruth she had been guilty of in
implying that the lawyer's suggestion had been her motive in coming to
him. She sharpened her pace, as if to outstrip the memory of her
misdeed, but it, with her other worry, seemed to pursue her, and
presently her imagination so quickened at the thought that she actually
fancied she heard some one behind keeping step with her. She broke
into a brisk run. Clap! clap! came the sound of hastening feet behind
her. With a sort of tortured courage she slackened her pace. Whatever
was following her also took a slower gait. She cast a furtive look
over her shoulder and gave a horrifie