The girl was gone.
As she spoke, she handed the letter to Conrad Lagrange who read it and gave it to the artist.

It was a pitiful little note--rather vague--saying only that she must go away at once; assuring Myra that she had not meant to do wrong; asking her to tell Mr.King and the novelist good-by; and begging the artist's forgiveness that she had not understood.
Aaron King looked from the letter in his hand to the faces of his two friends, in consternation.

"Do you understand this, Miss Willard ?" he asked, when he could speak.
The woman shook her head.

"Only that something has happened to make the child think that her friendship with you has injured you; and that she has gone away for your sake.

She--she thought so much of you, Mr.King." "And I--I love her, Miss Willard.