“Do—­do let me find some one to stay with you!  I cannot bear to think of your being alone.”  The old man stared at her curiously, and a sort of mocking smile parted his lips.  “May I at least ask Susan if her mother can come? for I am sure the girl will not stay alone.”

“Very well,” he said; “but be sure you do not promise her money!  She may come here to keep the child company—­not for my sake.”

Katherine hastened to question Susan, and found that her mother, a char-woman, lived near.  She despatched the little girl to fetch her, and, after some parleying, agreed to give her half a crown if she would remain for the night, determining to pay it herself rather than mention the subject to the ogre upstairs.  Then she put her hat straight and resumed her gloves.  “I must bid you good-morning now,” she said.  “This mother of Susan’s looks a respectable woman, and will not ask you for any money.  Will you not let me get you some tea and sugar before I go, and something for—­”

“No!” cried the old man.  “I have some tea.  It is all that——­robber left behind her.  I want nothing more.  Mind you come back to-morrow.  If you are my brother’s daughter (though it is no recommendation!) I’ll do something for you.  If you are not, I’d—­I’d like to give you a piece of my mind.”  He laughed a fiendish, spiteful laugh as he said this.

“Then accept my thanks beforehand,” said Katherine smiling a little wearily.

She was very tired.  It was an oppressive day, and she had been under a mental strain of no small severity.  Now she was longing to be at home to tell her mother all her strange adventures, and she had yet to find out by what route she should return.

Once more she said good-by.  Mr. Liddell followed her to the door, with an air of seeing her safe off the premises, rather than of courtesy, and Katherine quickly retraced her steps to the place where she had alighted, hoping to find that universal referee, a policeman, who would no doubt set her on her homeward way.

CHAPTER III.

THE LAWYER’S VISIT.

While her young sister-in-law was thus seeking fortune in strange places, Mrs. Fred Liddell was spending a busy and, it must be confessed, a cheerful morning, preparing for the anticipated visit of Colonel Ormonde.

It was rather inconsiderate, she thought, of Katherine to go out and leave all the extra dusting of the drawing-room to her.  If she, Katherine, had remained at home she would have taken the boys, as she always did, and then Jane, the house and children’s maid, would have been able to help.

If Katherine would only stay out all day she could forgive her—­but she would be sure to come in for dinner, and so appear at afternoon tea, which by no means suited Mrs. F. Liddell’s views.

The Colonel had given so very highly colored a description of the young lady who was with the little boy so nearly run over on the previous morning that the pretty widow’s jealousy was aroused.