ith great hesitation. "If I go by

ou any

I have been doing so ever since-since I felt it must be

hat, if I

one, practically alone that

o second thought, and I was puzzled to understand

uck that she did not say "my" child, but laid

responsibility, " I hazarded,

The idea of going all that way in

see why i

two lone women and you, single-handed. Suppose the five attendants and

cent, respectable men, the employes of a great company, carefully selected. At any rate, I am not worth robbing, are you? Have you any special reason for

ysterical alacrity. "I have nothing to tempt them. And yet somet

sly exaggerating the situation. But if you feel like t

uch rather have washed my hands of her, and left her and her belongings, esp

train soon?" she i

and the boat from Folkestone. You need only run as far as Boulogne with

at not l

ay lose the connection with Lucerne and the St. Gothard if y

going to Naples," she replied stiffly. "I

rtainly not bound for Naples. But if I can be of no further use to you I will make my bow. It is time f

d walked out of th

my asking the question; and we got into our car together, she entering her

traight, that there could be no guile in this sweet-faced, gentle, well-mannered woman; and I, with my greater experience of life and the sex, was much tempt

d drop from her own lips, strengthened and confirmed as

fine thing, truly, to fall in love with a thief. I hope to heaven she will r

ach only to realize that the train did not mean to stop. I turned over the leaves of Brads

she still wants to leave the train she must wait no

time in expressing her disappointment

figure filled the open doorway of my compartment, and in her strong dee

shes to spe

with me?" I replied carelessly, usi

simply Mrs. Blair." The correction and information were

ny serious trouble, such as she anticipated when talking to me at the buffet, and a prey to imaginary alarms since become real, I sh

joinder. "A nice sort of gentleman, indeed, to sit th

e, a fierce gleam of anger in her stolid eyes; and when I added, "A fine sort of lady

cer, a colonel? I call you

say to you or your mistress. I know what you are and what you have been doing, and I prefer to

out of her head. Her face had gone deadly white, and I thought sh

called, appeared behind, her taller figure towering above the maid's, her face