were afraid or guilty, to run away from it all."

[Illustration: "WELL, THIS MATTER MUST BE FULLY INVESTIGATED," DECLARED
THE SQUIRE]

The fact that Miles Burlock had not appeared at the Dale home that
morning, according to promise was of little interest to Dorothy now.
Something might have happened to him. Of course, he certainly seemed
determined to settle the business at once, but Dorothy's head and heart
were too full of her school friends' troubles to give much thought to
the Burlock matter. Major Dale had appeared concerned about it however,
and had questioned Dorothy as to whether any one had mentioned to her,
at school or on her way there, the fact that the strange man, likely
Andrew Anderson, had been seen again in Dalton.

"Be very careful to go around by the road," her father had cautioned her
on leaving, "and come directly home from school as I will be anxious,"
he said, when he kissed her good-bye.

But Dorothy reached school safely, and was soon surrounded by a crowd of
curious, and not too thoughtful girls, whose incessant questions added
much to her nervous condition. Sharp pains shot through her head, for
the excitement of the day had caused the ache of early morning to become
a bad attack of neuralgia.

"Please do not bother me so," she pleaded, as the girls plied question
after question.

They had heard, of course, of the accident, but how it had happened, and
what had become of Tavia, whether she run away or been arrested--these