dent and courageous spirit; the last
person alive he would harm. And people were exactly as Stephen had said,
particularly women. They would destroy Susan Brundon ruthlessly, without
a moment's hesitation. He thought of her as suffering incalculably,
betrayed by his implied lie; he saw her eyes stricken with pain, her
hands twisting together.... He rose sharply.

"A blind, infernal fool!" he ejaculated, grasping his hat. "I'm glad I
saw you when I did. Put it right at once. Obliged, Stephen; come to you
later about changing my will and the rest."

He was in such haste to remove the danger of Eunice from Susan Brundon
that not until he again stood at the door of the Academy did he realize
what a difficult explanation lay before him. Unconsciously he had
reached a point where he would do his utmost to avoid hurting her.
Already she occupied an unusual elevation in his thoughts, an unworldly
plane bathed in a white radiance.

She was not in the office, but soon appeared, with a questioning gaze;
and, he felt, an appealing lessening of her reserve. He hesitated,
casting vainly about for an acceptable expression of his errand. Another
lie, he thought, acutely distressed, must be necessary. "I am extremely
sorry, Miss Brandon," he told her, "but unexpected developments in the
last hour make it necessary for me to remove Eunice from your school."

A slow flush invaded her countenance lifted to meet his troubled gaze.
"Mr. Penny!" she exclaimed, in a faint dismay. "Oh, I hope it is because
of nothing--nothing derogatory you have heard. Please tell me
directly--"

"Absolutely no," he replied, his voice carrying a vibrating reassurance.
"You are entirely without the need of recommendation, far beyond any
unfavourable report. I am profoundly disturbed by causing you
inconvenience, and I only hope to offer you sufficient apology; but I
shall have to take Eunice away with me, at once."

"Perhaps her mother can't bear separation."

"It is not that," he said grimly, a tangible hurt sharpening within;
"but something that cannot be gone into, with you." She turned away
immediately. "I will send for her," she replied. They stood facing but
mutually avoiding each other's gaze while Eunice was being fetched.
"Her things have already come from the hotel," Miss Brundon proceeded.
"Where shall I send them?" Eunice broke in with a shrill protest. "Do I
have to go? I don't want to." Her face was scarlet with revolt. "I can
walk up and d