her. She asked me to send this to Mrs. Valliant. Will you explain?"
Ina took the folded programme and read what Elsie had written.
"Yes, I will explain; I think I understand why Elsie doesn't want mamma. She thinks mamma might be angry. Poor Elsie I Take her home, Frank, and be kind to her."
Ina's voice was trembling. Frank wondered why she showed so much emotion, but he did not wait to ask any questions. Ina turned towards Blake, who was standing apart watching them, with a curious expression on his face.
"I beg your pardon," Ina said with quiet dignity, "Mr. Hallett wanted to tell me that my sister wasn't very well, and that she does not want to frighten my mother and to take her away. She is only tired, and there's nothing wrong; and so he is going to take her back to Riverside, and I will explain to my mother. It would be such a pity to interrupt mamma's pleasure, for she is enjoying the sight, and she so seldom goes anywhere, and there is nothing really wrong with Elsie," Ina added conscientiously. "She is only tired."
Blake bowed, and she took his arm again, while Hallett made his way out to where the cab was standing. He gave the order to the driver—"Riverside Cottage, Emu Point, round by the Bridge," and got in beside Elsie. He saw that in those few minutes her composure had been broken down completely. She was crouching in a corner of the cab and was sobbing hysterically. He took her hand in his, and soothed her as if she had been a child. "Elsie dear, try not to be unhappy, Elsie. Nothing can happen to you now. I am here to take care of you. If I can't be anything else I can be your brother, dear; and I can take care of you."
"You don't know; you don't know," she sobbed.
"I think I can guess," he answered, grimly. "Lord Astar dared to send you that diamond thing that you wore—and he took advantage of your—your ignorance and thoughtlessness in accepting a present of which you probably didn't know the value. You took it as you might have
