others me. I can't
understand what they wanted with you. But I'm not going to let my
mystification lose me the services of a promising amanuensis--not in
these days, when intelligence is scarce and far to seek."

"Do you mean I'm to stay?" Sally gasped incredulously.

"Most assuredly I mean you're to stay. Why not? You're modest and
well-mannered, and you've got too much sense to try again to pull wool
over my eyes, even if you're wicked enough to want to, which I don't
believe. No; as far as you're concerned, your position here is far
more firmly established now than an hour ago, when everything was
against my liking you--in spite of the fact that I did--especially
your loyalty to those hopeless ingrates!"

She fumed in silence for a moment. "I could have forgiven almost
anything--but this! The insolence of it! To dare picture me to you--or
anybody--as a silly old fool of a woman without the wit to protect
herself from being fleeced by a gang of adventurers. My friends!" she
broke off with a snort of superindignation. "My guests here a set of
rogues and vagabonds--and worse!"

She flopped into her chair with a helpless "Oh dear!" and began to
laugh.

"It's too ridiculous!" she exclaimed. "If it ever got out, I'd almost
be ashamed to show my face in public again. Promise you'll never
breathe a syllable--"

"Oh, I promise--I do promise!" Sally protested fervently. "But, Mrs.
Gosnold . . ."

"Well, what now?"

"I suppose," said Sally, "the only way to show my gratitude is by
serving you faithfully--"

"You might," the elder woman interposed in a quizzical turn, "spare
me, if you can, a little affection, since it seems I've lost that of
my sister's children, together with their respect."

"I don't think you'll ever complain for want of that," Sally told her
very seriously. "But can you afford to run the risk of the police
coming here to find Sarah Manvers, who disappeared last week after
breaking into a house--burglarising it--leaving her discarded clothing
behind her for one positive clue--"

"You must make your mind easy as to that; unless I'm vastly mistaken,
no police will ever look for you in Gosnold House; if any did, they
wouldn't be admitted; and if by any chance they did happen to get in,
they wouldn't find Sarah Manvers. Please understand, you're to remain
Sara Manwaring for some time to come--for good, if I think best. Don't
imagine I'm going to permit you to resume your right name and spoil
ever