felt sure he expected me. I made one last despairing effort.

"If I stop at your house, though," I said, half ashamed of myself
for venturing to make conditions, "there's one promise you must make
me--that I sha'n't see Dr. Ivor unless you let me know and get my
consent beforehand."

Jack, as I called him to myself, answered gaily back with a rather
curious smile:

"If you like, you need see nobody but our own two selves. We'll
promise not to introduce anybody to you without due leave, and to
let you do as you like in that and in everything."

So I yielded at last.

"Well, I must know your name," I said tentatively.

And Jack, looking queerly at me with an inquiring air, said:

"My sister's name's Elsie; mine's John Cheriton."

"And yours?" Elsie asked, glancing timidly down at me.

My heart beat hard. I was face to face with a dilemma. These were
friends of Courtenay Ivor's, and I had given myself away to them. I
was going to their house, to accept their hospitality--and to
betray their friend! Never in my life did I feel so guilty before.
Oh! what on earth was I to do? I had told them too much; I had gone
to work foolishly. If I said my real name, I should let out my whole