pare much pain and perplexity to depart without
revisiting home. He added full and well-expressed thanks for all
that Mr. Fellowes had done for him, and for kindness for which he
hoped to be the better all his life. He enclosed a long letter to
his father, which he said would, he hoped, entirely exonerate his
kind and much-respected tutor from any remissness or any
participation in the scheme which he had thought it better on all
accounts to conceal till the last.

"And indeed," said poor Mr. Fellowes, "if I had had any inkling of
it, I should have applied to the English Consul to restrain him as a
ward under trust. But no one would have thought it of him. He had
always been reasonable and docile beyond his years, and I trusted
him entirely. I should as soon have thought of our President giving
me the slip in this way. Surely he came on board with us."

"He handed me into the boat," said Miss Darpent. "Who saw him last?
Did you, Miss Woodford?"

Anne was forced to own that she had seen him on board, and her
cheeks were in spite of herself such tell-tales that Mr. Fellowes
could not help saying, "It is not my part to rebuke you, madam, but
if you were aware of this evasion, you will have a heavy reckoning
to pay to the young man's parents."

"Sir," said Anne, "I knew indeed that he meant to join the Imperial
army, but I knew not how nor when."

"Ah, well! I ask no questions. You need not justify yourself to
me, young lady; but Sir Philip and Lady Archfield little knew what
they did when they asked us to come by way of Paris. Not that I
regret it on all accounts," he added, with a courteous bow to Naomi
which set her blushing in her turn. He avoided again addressing
Miss Woodford, and she thought with consternation of the prejudice
he might excite against her. It had been arranged between the two
maidens that Naomi should be a guest at Portchester Rectory till she
could communicate with Walwyn, and her father or brother could come
and fetch her.

They landed at the little wharf, among the colliers, and made their
way up the street to an inn, where, after ordering a meal to satisfy
the ravenous sea-appetite, Mr. Fellowes, after a few words with
Naomi, left the ladies to their land toilet, while he went to hire
horses for the journey.

Then Naomi could not help saying, "O Anne! I did not think you
would have done this. I am grieved!"

"You do not know all," said Anne sadly, "or you would not think s