y expensive--I mean extravagant." Miss Blake laughed.

"You are thinking of Elias, Nan. This man's name is not Elias. Alias
is pronounced differently, and is not a name at all, but a word
signifying otherwise, or otherwise called. It means that the man has
gone under those different titles. And I don't think I care to hear
what it has to say about the gentleman, dear. He probably isn't just
the sort of person whose exploits would make fair reading."

"Is he bad?" asked Nan.

"I should gather, from his names, that his existence had been somewhat
checkered," replied the governess with a twinkle in her eye.

"Is it wicked to go under other names than your own?"

Miss Blake flushed as she bent forward to place her empty cup upon the
table by her side. She was far from strong yet; the slightest exertion
brought the blood to her cheeks.

"Not necessarily," she said. "But as a general rule people whose lives
have been simple and upright do not need to live under an assumed name.
Of course there might be exceptional cases--and there is a difference
between an alias and an incognito."

"What's an incognito?" questioned Nan.

"Why, if a person of rank or importance travels through a country and
wishes to escape publicity, he often does so incognito--that is,
unknown. He will drop his official title and take his family name or
part of his family name with a simple prefix. For instance, a king
might care to be known as the Duke of So-and-so; a Duke as Mr. ----,
whatever his surname chanced to be. That would not be wicked and it
would not be an alias. And sometimes people who are not nobles find it
desirable to remain unrecognized for a time. Take it for granted that
I was not, in reality, a governess at all; I mean that I was not forced
by circumstances to take such a position, but that I for some reason
chose to assume it. That I cared to come here and be with you because
I had known and loved your parents long ago and wished to do my best
for their child. Then suppose I did not care to disclose my identity
to--to--people because of--well, no matter--I simply came here giving
you but part of my name--not the whole, why it might not be a wise
course, but it certainly could not be called a wicked."

"Oh, how I wish you had," cried Nan. "It would be splendid fun. Just
like a princess in disguise and things. Say you aren't a governess and
that your name isn't Blake. Oh, please do. It'll be just like
fairy-