soon that
no reputable hotel in New York City would accommodate her at that hour.

We were standing presently in front of the _Herald_ office. Her hand
still touched my arm, and I was conscious of an absurd desire to keep
it there as long as possible.

My curiosity had given place to deep anxiety on her account. What was
this child doing in New York alone, what sort of father had let her
come, if her story were true? What was she? A European? Too
unconventional for that. An Argentine? A runaway from some South
American convent?

Her skin was too fair for Spanish blood to flow beneath it. She looked
French and had something of the French frankness.

Canadian? I dared not ask her any more questions. There was only one
thing to do, and, though I shrank from the suggestion, it had to be
made.

"It is evident that you must go somewhere to-night," I said. "I have
two rooms on Tenth Street which I am vacating to-morrow. They are
poorly furnished, but there is clean linen; and if you will occupy them
for the night I can go elsewhere, and I will call for you at nine in
the morning."

She smiled at me gratefully--she did not seem surprised at all.

"You have some baggage?" I asked.

"No, _monsieur_," she answered.

She _was_ French, then--Canadian-French, I had no doubt. I was hardly
surprised at her answer. I had ceased to be surprised at anything she
told me.

"To-morrow I shall show you where to make some purchases, then," I
said. "And now, _mademoiselle_, suppose we take a taxicab."

As her hand tightened upon my arm I saw a man standing on the west side
of Broadway and staring intently at us.

He was of a singular appearance. He wore a fur coat with a collar of
Persian lamb, and on his head was a black lambskin cap such as is worn
in colder climates, but it seldom seen in New York. He looked about
thirty years of age, he had an aspect decidedly foreign, and I imagined
that he was scowling at us malignantly.

I was not sure that this surmise was not due to an over-active
imagination, but I was determined to get away from the man's scrutiny,
so I called a taxicab and gave the driver my address.

"Go through some side streets and go fast," I said.

The fellow nodded. He understood my motive, though I fear he may have
misinterpreted the circumstances. We entered, and the girl nestled
back against the comfortable cushions, and we drove at a furious speed,
dodging down side streets at a rate