ispering to her not
to make such a noise or she'd be heard, and calling her dear and
darling, I think, but it was all so low."

Lady Lisle groaned.

"And it went on ever so long, my lady," continued Jane, whose hesitation
was turned now in her excitement to volubility; "and then, as I stood
there at the window listening, she jumped out, and I drew my head in;
but I peeped out once more and she--"

"She?" gasped Lady Lisle, again.

"Oh, yes, my lady, it was a she, of course, for I just caught sight of
her face as she turned to hold the gate back when she went through on
her bicycle. It was a girl in national costume"--Jane meant
rational--"and she was very little and very pretty and one side of her
hair had come half down."

"Oh!" groaned Lady Lisle, closing her eyes and reeling towards the
nearest chair; but she would not have reached it if the girl with clever
alertness had not caught her round the waist and saved her from a fall.

"Oh, don't--don't faint, my lady!--Pray--pray hold up!"

"I shall be better directly, Jane," said the poor woman, hoarsely. "Let
me sit still a few moments. Ha!" she sighed. "I am coming round. That
giddiness is passing away."

"Let me fetch you your salts, my lady."

"No, Jane; I shall not need them. There, I am growing strong again.
Yes, I can go on now."

"Go on, my lady?"

"Yes, girl. Go into the hall and ring the coachman's bell."

"Yes, my lady; but oh! please forgive me--what are you going to do?"

"To do, Jane?"

"Yes, my lady. Don't do anything rash."

"Oh, no; I shall do nothing rash, Jane," said the lady, smiling sadly.

"I mean, don't you go and run away to your father, because perhaps it
ain't so bad as we think."

"Not so bad as we think, Jane?" said Lady Lisle, drearily.

"No, my lady. You see, it might all be a mistake."

"Yes, Jane," said her mistress, looking desolately in the girl's eyes,
while a piteous smile came upon her lips; "as you say, it might all be a
mistake. But go now, and do as I bid you."

"Ye-e-es, my lady."

"Ring, and when the coachman comes tell him to bring the carriage round
as quickly as he can."

"But, oh, my lady," sobbed Jane, and she caught and kissed her
mistress's hands one after the other, "don't, pray don't! You are going
to run away and leave him, and my mother said a lady ought never to do
that unless he's been very, very bad."

"I am not going away from my home, Jane," said Lady Lisle, growing
firmer