since then; in fact, it may be lying in the
bottom of the sea. I did not expect you would be so exact in money
matters, or I might have been more careful."

"Mr. Winthrop, why do you so persistently misconstrue my meaning?" I
said, desperately. He looked down more gently from his superior height
into my troubled face, and the mocking gleam faded from his eyes.

"Why are you so scrupulously, ridiculously insistent in maintaining such
perfect independence? Can you not believe I get well paid for all you
cost me, if we descend to the vulgarity of dollars and cents, in having
a bright, original young creature about the house with a fiery,
independent, nature, ready to fight with her rich friends for the sake
of her poor ones?"

"I wish we could be friendly, Mr. Winthrop," I half sobbed, with an
impulsive gesture stretching out my hands, but remembering myself, as
quickly I drew them back, and without waiting for a reply fled from the
room. Once in the hall I took down my hat from the rack and slipped out
into the night, my pulses throbbing feverishly, and with difficulty
repressing the longing to find relief in a burst of tears. The short
twilight had quite faded away into starlight, but the autumn air was
still warm enough to permit a stroll after nightfall. When I grew calm
enough to notice whither my feet had strayed, I found myself on the Mill
Road. Instinctively I felt I should not go so far from home in the
darkness unattended; but I was naturally courageous as well as
unconventional, and the desire was strong on me to tell Mrs. Blake my
good news. I got on safely until Daniel Blake's light was in sight, when,
just before me, I heard rough voices talking and laughing. I turned and
was about fleeing for home, when a similar crowd seemed to have sprung
up, as if by magic, just behind me. In my terror I attempted to climb a
fence, but fence-climbing was a new accomplishment, and in my ignorance
and fright, I dragged myself to the top rail and then fell over in a
nerveless heap on the other side. The crowd were too self-absorbed to
notice the crouching figure divided from them by a slight rail fence, and
went shouting on their way until stopped by the other crowd. I waited
until they had got to a safe distance, when I arose and sped swiftly
along over the damp grass until another fence intercepted my progress;
when fortunately I remembered that just beyond this fence was a low
marshy field, with deep pools of water. By