He was becoming greatly interested in this beautiful woman, who, with that look of heart-broken sadness in her violet eyes, and that grieved droop about her sweet mouth, he believed must have some thrilling history connected with her young life.

“Then, Mrs. Alexander, do your best, and give me something especially nice for Easter,” he returned, brightly, and appearing not to notice her emotion.

He arose as he spoke, and took leave of her with a cordial handshake, saying that she would hear from him again soon regarding her other designs, and Virgie went on her homeward way with more of hope and courage than she had known since her great trouble came upon her.

She had nearly reached the street where she lived, when something occurred to give her a fearful start.

In turning a corner she suddenly came face to face with a man who was wrapped in a heavy circular cape, its collar turned up close about his face and concealing the whole lower portion of it.  He wore a wide-brimmed hat that was drawn down over his brow, so that, with the collar and hat together, scarcely anything of his countenance was visible save a pair of piercing black eyes, and a long, sharp nose.

As Virgie met those eyes, which were fixed upon her with an eager, questioning look, she had difficulty in repressing a scream of fear and surprise.

The next moment, however, she recovered herself, and passed him as if he had been an utter stranger; but, though outwardly calm and indifferent, she was trembling in every limb, while a sense of weakness caused by the shock she had received, made it seem as if she could not go on her way.

But she knew it would not do for her to stop, for a sidelong glance over her shoulder and the sound of a step behind her told her that the muffled figure was following her, evidently with the intention of accosting her.

“How dare he come back here?  It cannot be that he knows me after all these years,” she said to herself as she quickened her pace and sped on toward her home.

Then a sudden thought smote her.

“He must not know where I live, if it is he, and I am sure I cannot be mistaken, for those eyes are like no others in the world.  What shall I do?”

She was rapidly nearing her own door, but a sudden purpose impelled her to keep on and go straight by, without even a pause or a look that way.

A block or two beyond she came to a store where she sometimes went to purchase articles that she needed She entered, and going to a counter, called for the first thing she could think of, but kept her eye on the door to see if the man had followed her.

Yes, there could be no doubt that her steps were dogged, for the man passed even as she looked.

His keen glance searched her out immediately; then he paused, turned, and walked slowly back.

The store was on a corner, and there were two entrances to it—­one on the front, one at the side.