remonstrance, and when the night express left the Granby station, it
carried with it Mrs. Van Vechten, in pursuit of the runaway Ben.




CHAPTER VIII.

NEWS.


Nearly two weeks had passed away since the exciting scene in Mr.
Browning's library, and during that time Rosamond had kept herself
aloof from her guardian, meeting him only at the table, where she
maintained toward him a perfectly respectful but rather freezing
manner. She was deeply mortified to think he had won from her a
confession of her love, and then told her how useless--nay, worse--how
wicked it was for her to think of him. She knew that he suffered
intensely, but she resolutely left him to suffer alone, and he would
rather it should be so.

Life was growing more and more a wearisome burden, and when, just one
week after the library interview, he received a note in the well-
remembered handwriting, he asked that he might die and forget his
grief. The letter was dated at the Springs, where Miss Porter was
still staying, though she said she intended starting the next day for
Cuyler, a little out-of-the-way place on the lake, where there was but
little company, and she could be quiet and recruit her nervous system.
The latter had been terribly shocked, she said, by hearing of his
recent attempt at making love to Rosamond Leyton! "Indeed," she wrote,