he
woman now approaching her. Each regarded the other closely as they met.
To Kate it seemed as though the woman hesitated for the fraction of a
second, as though about to speak, but she passed on silently. On
reaching a turn in the driveway Kate, looking back, saw the woman
standing near the large gates watching her, but the latter, finding
herself observed, passed through the gates to the street and walked
away.

Perplexed and somewhat annoyed, Kate proceeded on her way to the house.
She believed the woman to be in some way associated with Walcott, and
that her presence there presaged evil of some sort. As she entered the
sitting-room her aunt looked up with a smile from her seat before the
fire.

"You have just had rather a remarkable caller, Katherine."

"That woman in black whom I just met?" Kate asked, betraying no
surprise, for she felt none; she was prepared at that moment for almost
any announcement.

"Who was she, Aunt Marcia? and what did she want with me?"

"She refused to give her name, but said to tell you 'a friend' called.
She seemed disappointed at not seeing you, and as she was leaving she
said, 'Say to her she has a friend where she least thinks it, and if
she, or any one she loves, is in danger, I will come and warn her.' She
was very quiet-appearing, notwithstanding her tragic language. You say
you met her; what do you think of her?"

Kate had been thinking rapidly. "I have seen her once before, auntie. I
am positive she is in some way connected with Mr. Walcott, and equally
positive that he has some evil designs against papa; but why she should
warn me against him, if that is her intention, I cannot imagine."

"Is there no way of warning your father, Katherine?" Mrs. Dean inquired,
anxiously.

"Mr. Britton and I have talked it over, auntie. We think papa suspects
him and is watching him, but so long as he doesn't take either of us
into his confidence we don't want to excite or worry him by suggesting
any danger. This woman may or may not be friendly, as she claims, but in
any event, if she comes again, I must see her. Whatever danger there may
be I want to know it; then I'm not afraid but that I can defend papa or
myself in case of trouble."

For several days Kate scanned her horizon closely for portents of the
coming storm. She saw nothing of the mysterious woman who had styled
herself a friend, but on more than one occasion she had a fleeting
glimpse of the man who on that memorable d