"What were they all about, to make such a blunder?"

Helbeck shrugged his shoulders, and at last he succeeded in quieting his
sister, by dint of a resolute suppression of all but the most ordinary
and comforting suggestions.

"Well, after all, thank goodness, Laura has a great deal of common
sense--she always had," said Mrs. Fountain, with a clearing countenance.

"Of course. She will be here, I have little doubt, before you are ready
for your breakfast. It is unlucky, but it should not disturb your night's
rest. Please go to bed." With some difficulty he drove her there.

Augustina retired, but it was to spend a broken and often tearful night.
Alan might say what he liked--it was all most disagreeable. Why!--would
the inn take her in? Mrs. Fountain had often been told that an inn, a
respectable inn, required a trunk as well as a person. And Laura had not
even a bag--positively not a hand-bag. A reflection which was the
starting-point of a hundred new alarms, under which poor Mrs. Fountain
tossed till the morning.

* * * * *

Meanwhile Helbeck went to his study. It was nearly one o'clock when he
entered it, but the thought of sleep never occurred to him. He took out
of his pocket the telegram from Braeside, re-read it, and destroyed it.

So Mason was with her--for of course it was Mason. Not one word of such a
conjunction was to be gathered from the sister. She had clearly supposed