y in confusion. Roger felt that she
had blurted it out, scarcely knowing what she said until too late.
Instead of liking her less, he liked her better. He brought forth the
envelope to show. It had been under his pillow all night, he told her.

"I don't know what I should have done without you!" she said, with a
gratitude that was almost humble. There'd be a certain blankness, Roger
couldn't help seeing, when the time came to do without _her_!

"When we get to Chicago," he asked, "how can I help you there?"

"Oh, I expect to be met by a friend. I suppose I shan't see you again:
but I shall never forget."

Roger Sands felt a horrid twinge of some unpleasant emotion. He loathed
the "friend" who would take the girl away from him.

"But Chicago's a long way off," she said when he did not speak. "It must
seem a wild story to you, but the danger I'm in ... the danger that this
envelope is in ... won't be over for one minute till you've put me into
my friend's hands. You will do that, won't you? You'll see me through
till the last?"

"I will," said Roger.

"And meanwhile you'll come and call on me in the stateroom sometimes if
you don't mind?"

Roger smiled. A silver lining began to glimmer through the cloud.

By good luck he knew no one on board save O'Reilly, who fortunately was
in another car, and he hoped that few people knew him. He could not
resist her invitation. He began by deciding to spend a half hour with
his "invalid cousin" now and again. As through the veil of beauty he
caught glimpses of something like character within, Roger felt that the
mystery thickened.

The inevitable moment came. The porter was brushing men's hats and
coats. Suitcases were being fastened up. The Limited was slowing down in
the big station. Then, and not till then, did Miss White show herself at
the door of Stateroom A. Sands, who had knocked to tell her that she had
better come out, was waiting to guard her for the last time. Neither had
much to say. The hope of haven had not raised the girl's spirits. As
Sands gave her a hand, stepping on to the platform, he saw Justin
O'Reilly, already out of the train and looking about with the air of
expecting someone. O'Reilly took off his hat, with an unnecessarily
cordial smile for Sands. At heart they were enemies. Roger took the
smile to mean amusement at sight of his companion. He felt annoyed. Miss
White was looking straight ahead, a brilliant colour staining the cheeks
usually pale