He raised his eyebrows.

"That is very nice and companionable of you," he said, "and naturally I
shall be very glad to be of any assistance possible whilst you are over
here, but I hope you will remember, Nora, that I did not encourage you to
come."

"I'm wise enough about that," she admitted. "I never expected you to care
two pins whether you ever saw me again or not, and I know quite well," she
went on hastily, "that I haven't any right to follow you, or anything of
that sort. But honestly, Mr. Thew, we were being watched down there, and
New York wasn't exactly healthy."

He nodded.

"Yes," he assented, "no doubt you are right. They have awkward methods of
cross-examination there, although I don't think they'd get much out of you,
Nora."

"I'd no fancy to have them try," she admitted. "Besides, I've never had
that trip to Europe that uncle and I were always talking about, and it
seemed to me that if I wanted to see the old country whole, now or never
was the time. You may all be a German colony over here by next year."

"I have no right or any desire," he told her quietly, "to interfere in any
way with your plans, but I must warn you that just at present I am living
in the utmost jeopardy. I have no friends to whom I can introduce you, nor
any of my own time or attentions to offer. Unless you choose to exercise
tact, I might find your presence here not only embarrassing but a positive
hindrance to my plans."