ere really seeking Dornton; but that, concluding
that the fugitive had already escaped to the wharves, they expected to
withdraw their surveillance at noon. Somewhat relieved, he hastened
back, to find the stranger calmly seated on the sofa in the parlor with
the same air of frank indifference, lazily relating the incidents of
his flight to the two women, who were listening with every expression
of sympathy and interest. "Poor fellow!" said Cherry, taking the
astonished Bly aside into the hall, "I don't believe he's half as bad
as THEY said he is--or as even HE makes himself out to be. But DID you
notice mother?"

Herbert, a little dazed, and, it must be confessed, a trifle uneasy at
this ready acceptance of the stranger, abstractedly said he had not.

"Why, it's the most ridiculous thing. She's actually going round
WITHOUT HER SHAWL, and doesn't seem to know it."

V.

When Herbert finally reached the bank that morning he was still in a
state of doubt and perplexity. He had parted with his grateful
visitor, whose safety in a few hours seemed assured, but without the
least further revelation or actual allusion to anything antecedent to
his selecting Tappington's room as refuge. More than that, Herbert was
convinced from his manner that he had no intention of making a
confidant of Mrs. Brooks, and this convinced him that Dornton's
previous relations with Tappington were not only utterly inconsistent
with that young man's decorous reputation, but were unsuspected by the
family. The stranger's familiar knowledge of the room, his mysterious
allusions to the "risks" Tappington had taken, and his sudden silence
on the discovery of Bly's ignorance of the whole affair all pointed to
some secret that, innocent or not, was more or less perilous, not only
to the son but to the mother and sister. Of the latter's ignorance he
had no doubt--but had he any right to enlighten them? Admitting that
Tappington had deceived them with the others, would they thank him for
opening their eyes to it? If they had already a suspicion, would they
care to know that it was shared by him? Halting between his frankness
and his delicacy, the final thought that in his budding relations with
the daughter it might seem a cruel bid for her confidence, or a revenge
for their distrust of him, inclined him to silence. But an unforeseen
occurrence took the matter from his hands. At noon he was told that
Mr. Carstone wished to see him in his p