nd of girls you would do anything for!" said Peggy;
"just anything in the world, no matter how foolish, just because they
wanted you to. It isn't a thing you can describe; it just _is_, and
nobody can help it."

"Well, I should think the difference would be in the kind of thing they
would ask you to do," said Jean, with wisdom beyond her years. "Grace
wouldn't ask you anything foolish, and I should think Cousin Rita
might."

"Grace!" exclaimed Peggy; and then checked herself loyally. "Grace
wasn't always so wise as she is now, young one!" she said, simply.

"Well, she's a dear, anyhow; I think Mrs. Peyton might have let her stay
all night. It's horribly poky, with Uncle John and the boys and
everybody away. Why, Margaret, there isn't a single man about the place,
is there? Bannan drove them over, and then he was going to the
cattle-show, and so was Michael. Suppose there should be robbers, or
anything!"

"Suppose there should!" said Peggy, coolly. "If Frances and I and the
dogs could not arrange matters with a robber, it would be a pity.
Margaret--what is this queer light? Has everything turned red, all of a
sudden?"

[Illustration: "A TALL, SLENDER FIGURE HALF RAN, HALF TOTTERED INTO THE
ROOM."]

"The moon rises late to-night," said Margaret. "I have no idea what
time it is now. It seems an hour since Grace went."

"The moon isn't red, anyhow!" said Peggy. "I believe--"

As she spoke, she rose and went to the window. "Girls!" she cried.
"There is a fire somewhere near. Come and look!"

Margaret and Jean pressed hastily forward to the window. It was a
strange scene on which they looked. All of a sudden, the world seemed
turned to red and black. A crimson light suffused the sky; against it
the trees stood black as ebony. Even as they looked, a crest of flame
sprang up above the tree-tops, wavered, and broke into a shower of
sparks; at the same instant their nostrils were filled with the acrid,
pungent smell of wood smoke.

"Oh, what is it? Where can it be?" cried Margaret.

"Maybe it's only a bonfire!" said Jean.

Peggy shook her head. "Too big for a bonfire!" she said. "I'll go out
and see, Margaret. What a pity the boys should miss it! I'll come back
and let you know--mercy! what's this?"

The door opened, and a tall, slender figure half ran, half tottered
into the room. "Margaret!" cried a wild voice of terror. "Margaret
Montfort, save me!"

"Good heavens! Mrs. Peyton!"

"Yes, Emily Peyton. My hou