ain when John Brooks returns to Allendale," he
said; "and I suppose you are aware his sister has also left the
place--gone, no one knows whither--the Brookses' cottage on the brow
of the hill stands empty."

"Gone!" cried Daisy, catching her breath swift and hard, "did you say,
sir? Aunt Septima has gone--no one lives in the cottage?" Poor Daisy
quite believed she was losing her senses.

"Yes," said Stanwick, smothering a low, malicious laugh, "that is what
I said; but I am quite surprised that it is news to you. You are all
alone in the world, you see. Of course you could not go back to
Allendale. You can do no better than stay in your present quarters for
at least a week or so, until you fully recover from your mad frolic on
the water and gain a little strength."

* * * * *

"Where am I?" asked Daisy, "and how did I get here? and who lives
here?"

"One question at a time, if you please," laughed Stanwick, gazing
admiringly at the beautiful, questioning, eager face.

"I suppose," he began, with provoking coolness, "you have been filling
that little head of yours with romantic ideas of running away from
school, and sailing far out to sea, and straight into the arms of some
handsome hero who would save you, and would carry you off to some
castle, and turn out to be a prince in disguise! That's the way they
usually turn out, isn't it? But you found the theory did not work very
well in real life, and your little romance came near costing you your
life--eh, Miss Daisy? As for the second question, I rescued you, just
in the nick of time, by jumping into the turbulent waves and bearing
you out of harm's way and keeping that little romantic head of yours
above water until the barge could be stopped, and you were then
brought on board. I recognized you at once," he continued; "and to
prevent suspicion and inquiry, which would have been sure to follow, I
claimed you--as my wife! Do not be alarmed," he said, as a sharp,
horrified cry rose to the red lips. "I simply did that in order to
protect you from being returned at once in bitter disgrace to Madame
Whitney's. Not knowing what else to do with you when the boat landed,
I brought you here, and here you have been ever since, quite
unconscious up to date."

"Was it last night you brought me here?" asked Daisy.

"You are not good at guessing. You have been here two nights and two
days."

"But who lives here?" persisted Daisy. "