As he met her pale, resolute face, he knew that she had a serious purpose in thus visiting him, and his look changed to one of nervous anticipation.
"Do I disturb you, father ?" Maud asked.

"Could you spare me a few minutes ?" Paul nodded, and she took a seat near him.
"Father, I am going to leave home, going to be a governess again." He drew a sigh of relief; he had expected something worse than this.
Yet the relief was only for a moment, and then he looked at her with eyes which made her soul fail for very compassion.
"You will desert me, Maud ?" he asked, trying to convey in his look that which he could not utter in words.
"Father, I can be of no help, and I feel that I must not remain here." "Have you found a place ?" "This afternoon I engaged myself to go to Paris with a French family.
They have been in England some time, and want to take back an English governess for their children." Paul was silent.
"I leave the day after to-morrow," she added; at first she had feared to say how soon she was to go.
"You are right," her father said, shifting some papers about with a tremulous hand.

"You are right to leave us.

You at least will be safe." "Safe ?" she asked, under her breath.
He looked at her in the same despairing way, but said nothing.
"Father," she began, her lips quivering in the intensity of her inward struggle, "can you not go away from here?
Can you not take mother away ?" They gazed at each other, each trying to divine what it was that made the other so pale.

Did her father know ?--Maud asked herself.