That hideous besotted face seemed to stare at her again through the obscurity, and, trembling with fright, she hurried through the garden and up the verandah steps.
Mrs.Costello was sitting at work by the table where the light fell brightly, but Lucia was glad that the lamp-shade threw most of the room into comparative darkness.

Even as it was, she came with shy lingering steps to her mother's side, and was in no hurry to answer her question, "Where have you been loitering so long ?" "I have been at the gate some time," she said.

"It is so pleasant out of doors." "I went to the top of the lane to look for you a long time ago, and saw you coming with, I thought, Mr.Percy." "Yes.

He met me.

Mamma, I want to tell you something about--" Mrs.Costello laid down her work.
"What ?" she said almost sharply, as something in her child's soft caressing attitude, and broken words struck her with a new terror.
Lucia slid down to the floor, half kneeling at her mother's feet.