“My dear Governor Rudd,” he read,—­“My friends the McNaughtons of Bristol are friends of yours too, I think, and that is my reason for troubling you with this note.  I am on my way to visit them now, and expected to take the train for Bristol at twenty minutes after eight to-night, but when I reached here at eight o’clock I found the time-table had been changed, and the train had gone out twenty minutes before.  And there is no other till to-morrow.  I don’t know what to do or where to go, and you are the only person in the city whose name I know.  Would it trouble you to advise me where to go for the night—­what hotel, if it is right for me to go to a hotel?  With regret that I should have to ask this of you when you must be busy with great affairs all the time, I am,

“Very sincerely,
“LINDSAY LEE.”

Mary listened, attentive but dazed, and was about to burst out at once with voluble exclamations and questions when the Governor stopped her.

“Now, Mary, don’t do a lot of talking.  Just listen to me.  I thought at first this note was from a man, because it is signed by a man’s name.  But it looks and sounds like a woman, and I think it should be attended to.  I want you to telephone to Mr. George McNaughton, at Bristol, and ask if Mr. or Miss Lindsay Lee is a friend of theirs, and say that, if so, he—­or she—­is all right, and is spending the night here.  Then, in that case, send Harper to the station with the brougham, and say that I beg to have the honor of looking after Mrs. McNaughton’s friend for the night.  And you’ll see that whoever it is is made very comfortable.”

“Indeed I will, the poor young thing,” said Mary, jumping at a picturesque view of the case.  “But, Mr. Jack, do you want me to telephone to Mr. McNaughton’s and ask if a friend of theirs—­”

The Governor cut her short.  “Exactly.  You know just what I said, Mary Mooney; you only want to talk it over.  I’m much too busy.  Tell Jackson not to come to the library again unless the State freezes over.  Good-night.—­I don’t think the McNaughtons can complain that I haven’t done their friend brown,” said the Governor to himself as he went back across the hall.

* * * * *

Down at the station, beneath the spirited illumination of one whistling gas-jet, the station-master and Lindsay Lee waited wearily for an answer from the Governor.  It was long in coming, for the station-master’s boys, the Messrs. O’Milligan, seizing the occasion for foreign travel offered by a sight of the Executive grounds, had made a detour by the Executive stables, and held deep converse with the grooms.  Just as the thought of duty undone began to prick the leathery conscience of the older one, the order came for Harper and the brougham.  Half an hour later, at the station, Harper drew up with a sonorous clatter of hoofs.  The station-master hurried forward to interview the coachman.  In a moment he turned with a beaming face.