se to the door she paused. Miss Royle was not yet gone, for there was
a faint rustling in the next room. And Gwendolyn could hear the quick
_shoo-ish, shoo-ish, shoo-ish_ of her whispering, like the low purl of
Johnnie Blake's trout-stream.

Presently, silence.

Gwendolyn went in.

She found Jane standing in the center of the room, mouth puckered
soberly, reddish eyes winking with disquiet, apprehension in the very
set of her heavy shoulders.

The sight halted Gwendolyn, and filled her with misgivings. Had _Jane_
just heard?

When it came time to prepare for the afternoon motor-ride, Gwendolyn
tested the matter--yet without repeating Miss Royle's dire statement.

"Let's go past where my fath-er's office is to-day," she proposed. And
tried to smile.

Jane was tucking a small hand through a coat-sleeve. "Well, dearie," she
answered, with a sigh and a shake of her red head, "you couldn't hire
_me_ to go into that street. And I wouldn't like to see _you_ go."

Gwendolyn paled. "Bears?" she asked. "_Truly?_"

Jane made big eyes. Then turning the slender little figure carefully
about, "Gwendolyn, lovie, _Jane_ thinks you'd better give the idear up."

So it was true! Jane--who was happiest when standing in opposition to
others; who was certain to differ if a difference was possible--Jane
had borne it out!

Moreover, she was frightened! For Gwendolyn was leaning against the
nurse. And she could feel her shaking!

Oh, how one terrible thing followed another!

Gwendolyn felt utterly cast down. And the ride in the swift-flying car
only increased her dejection. For she did not even have the
entertainment afforded by Thomas's enlivening company. He stayed beside
the chauffeur--as he had, indeed, ever since the memorable feast of
peanuts--and avoided turning his haughty black head. Jane was morose.
Now and then, for no apparent reason, she sniffled.

Gwendolyn's mind was occupied by a terrifying series of pictures that
Miss Royle's declaration called up. The central figure of each picture
was her father, his safety threatened. Arrived home, she resolved upon
still another course of action. She was forced to give up visiting her
father at his office. But she would steal down to the grown-up part of
the house--at a time _other_ than the dinner-hour--that very night!

Evening fell, and she was not asked to appear in the great dining-room.
That strengthened her determination. However, to give a hint of it would
be foll