ot the
man to be trifled with. Long before I could drive him to give me a
living and let me go he would have driven me to flight or suicide."

Her mother had now had time to reflect upon Mildred's revelations.
Aided by the impressions she herself had gotten of the little general,
she began to understand why her daughter had fled and why she would not
return. She felt that the situation was one which time alone could
solve. Said she: "Well, the best thing is for you to stay on here and
wait until he makes some move."

"He'll have me watched--that's all he'll do," said Mildred. "When he
gets ready he'll divorce me for deserting him."

Mrs. Presbury felt that she was right. But, concealing her
despondency, she said: "All we can do is to wait and see. You must
send for your luggage."

"I've nothing but a large bag," said Mildred. "I checked it in the
parcel-room of the New York station."

Mrs. Presbury was overwhelmed. How account to Hanging Rock for the
reappearance of a baggageless and husbandless bride? But she held up
bravely. With a cheerfulness that did credit to her heart and showed
how well she loved her daughter she said: "We must do the best we can.
We'll get up some story."

"No," said Mildred. "I'm going back to New York. You can tell people
here what you please--that I've gone to rejoin him or to wait for
him--any old thing."

"At least you'll wait and talk with Presbury," pleaded her mother. "He
is VERY sensible."

"If he has anything to suggest," said Mildred, "he can write it. I'll
send you my address."

"Milly," cried her mother, agitated to the depths, "where ARE you
going? WHAT are you going to do? You look so strange--not at all like
yourself."

"I'm going to a hotel to-night--probably to a boarding-house
to-morrow," said Mildred. "In a few days I shall begin to--" she
hesitated, decided against confidence--"begin to support myself at
something or other."

"You must be crazy!" cried her mother. "You wouldn't do anything--and
you couldn't."

"Let's not discuss it, mamma," said the girl tranquilly.

The mother looked at her with eyes full of the suspicion one lady
cannot but have as to the projects of another lady in such
circumstances.

"Mildred," she said pleadingly, "you must be careful. You'll find
yourself involved in a dreadful scandal. I know you wouldn't DO
anything WRONG no matter how you were driven. But--"

"I'll not do anything FOOLISH, mamma," interrup