from them. As yet I could do nothing. I knew nothing wrong of them. They
might be impostors, they might be penniless adventurers, but I could not
prove it. Neither could I tell Miss Forrest what I had heard, while
certainly Voltaire had as much right as I had to seek to win her
affections.

These thoughts had scarcely passed through my mind when, hearing a sound
behind me, I turned and saw Miss Forrest, who met me with a bright
"Good-morning" and the compliments of the season. I blushed almost
guiltily at the sound of her voice--I, who had for years declared that
no woman could interest me enough to make my heart throb one whit the
quicker.

"This is a pleasant surprise," I said, after responding to her greeting.
"I quite expected to be alone for an hour at least. You see, we all
remained up so late last night that it was to me a settled matter that
none of you would appear until it was time to start for church."

"I hope I am not disturbing you in your morning's meditations, Mr.
Blake," she replied; "I would have stayed in my room had I thought so."

"On the other hand, I am delighted to see you here. Whether you know it
or not, I rode from London to Leeds with you yesterday, and I have
thought ever since I should like to know you."

She looked straight at me as if she would read my thoughts, and then
said pleasantly, "I was on the point of asking you whether such was not
the case. I was not sure, because you had your travelling cap pulled
over your face."