face of the governess was
deathly white, and she ran back to her, crying:

"What is it; oh, what is it? Are you faint? Let me get you something."

She was in a sudden bewilderment of alarm. Miss Blake gently put her
aside, saying calmly,

"Why, nothing is the matter, Nan. Nothing at all, my dear. I am
strong and well now, you know. Quite strong and well. You must not
make Mr. Turner think I am ill, else he will go away again, and I shall
not know what he has to say to me. I am quite able to hear--whatever
it is. So go away, dear."

The girl obeyed, and the next moment the door had closed behind her,
and only the sound of her voice from without, singing in happy
reassurance, broke the stillness of the room where the lawyer and the
governess stood facing each other silently.

CHAPTER XX

THROUGH DEEP WATERS

Mr. Turner was the first to speak. "Sit down," he said kindly. "You
must not stand."

Miss Blake sank into her place upon the divan, but she did not lean
back. She sat stiffly upright, nervously locking and unlocking her
fingers in her lap and compressing her lips tightly, but asking no
questions--saying no word.

The lawyer drew a chair beside her and slowly, deliberately seated
himself in it.

"You remember," he began at length, in a hesitating sort of way, "that
I told you some time ago that I had some reason to fear that affairs
were not prospering at Bombay. I wish to come to the point at once; to
spare you all suspense. I am afraid Mr. Cutler is in some serious
difficulty, and--"

He paused. The governess leaned forward, and her breath came quickly.

"Go on," she whispered.

"For some time past his letters have been most unsatisfactory. He has
seemed depressed and discouraged. What word I have received from him
during the past few months has been of such a character as to lead one
to form the gravest suspicions. His letters have been short and
hurried--written, evidently, under great mental strain. And latterly
they have ceased altogether. For the last two months, ever since you
have been ill, I have heard literally nothing from him. His plan was
to leave Bombay in September. That he kept to his original purpose I
have no reason to doubt. He was on the steamer, or, at least, his name
was on its passenger list. Of course while you were so ill I could say
nothing to you of this--besides I had only my suspicions then. But as
time passed, and no communication from hi