hands and looked up quickly. Just then the yellow dog broke away from
Mr. Bob and retreated through the back door. Mr. Bob, who had evidently
derived honorable satisfaction from the encounter, came over to Hinpoha
and subsided at her feet. With a look of wonder Hinpoha turned to the
girl crouching on the floor. She had moved into the light from a window
and Hinpoha could see that fear was written all over her face. It was a
girl about eighteen years old with a round cherubic countenance, framed
in fluffy light hair, wide open guileless blue eyes, with an expression
as innocent as a baby's. Just now the eyes were swimming in tears.

"You are in trouble?" asked Hinpoha, with ready sympathy.

The girl reached out her hand and took hold of Hinpoha's jacket as a
child holds on to its mother, in spite of the fact that she was
evidently older than Hinpoha. Hinpoha caught her hand and held it
tightly.

"Tell me about it," she said, gently.

The girl gulped down a big sob and wiped her eyes. "I'm--I'm hiding,"
she said, in a shaky voice.

"Hiding from what?" asked Hinpoha.

"From--from the man I work for," said the girl. "He said I stole
something and I didn't, and he says he can have me arrested," she said
with fresh sobs.

"But how can anyone have you arrested if you didn't steal anything?"
asked Hinpoha.