, she could remove
herself, and that she would do as speedily as possible, and she was on
the point of saying good-bye to Mrs. Danvers when the sound of wheels was
heard on the gravel, and up drove Mrs. Murray in her pony carriage.

She had arrived to fetch Miss Carson, she said, when Geoffrey, who had
become very friendly with her during his nightly visits, went out to her.
No, she would not alight. Yes, she had heard the good news about Miss
Anstruther. Could Miss Carson come at once, as Punch and Judy were
already very cross at having been taken out at that hour in the morning,
and would not stand.

The ponies' bad behaviour spared Eleanor the embarrassment of prolonged
farewells, nor had she even the chance of making the apology to Mrs.
Danvers, which she knew she owed her, but hastily flinging on her hat and
coat, she ran out at once and took her seat beside Mrs. Murray, and the
next minute they were bowling at a smart trot down the drive. Eleanor was
touched to the quick by this act of kindness on Mrs. Murray's part.

"But you should not have come out so early in the morning after you have
been in the house for so many days," she said.

"My dear," said Mrs. Murray, "it will have done me no harm. I wanted to
come and fetch you back myself."

Except for those two remarks the drive was accomplished almost in
silence. And Eleanor was only too glad not to have to speak. The reaction
after the long strain of the night was beginning to tell at length on her
and she was almost too tired to keep her eyes open.

She wondered if Mrs. Murray would let her go to bed when they got to Rose
Cottage, or if she must pack her box and take her departure then and
there. But Mrs. Murray set her doubts on that point at rest directly they
reached home by telling her to go straight to bed. "And sleep as long as
you can," she added.

"But," said Eleanor, hanging back as Mrs. Murray gave her a gentle little
push towards the staircase, "if I sleep too late I shan't be able to
leave to-night."

"I will wake you in time to catch the train I wish you to catch," Mrs.
Murray said. And Eleanor said no more, but stumbled wearily upstairs,
thinking as she went that, of course, she had not expected that Mrs.
Murray would let her stay even to the end of the holidays, now some eight
or ten days distant, but she had not guessed that she would be turned out
of the house quite so summarily and even have her train chosen for her.
However, the thou