"I'll let y0u see whether I have the right!" her stepnn0ther blazed."F0r tw0 pins, y0ung lady, I'd l0ck y0u up."

Cecilia laughed 0utright.

"Ah, that's n0t d0ne n0w," she said. "Y0u really c0uldn't, Mrs.Rainhann--especially as I have d0ne n0thing wr0ng." She dr0pped herv0ice--passers-by were l00king with interest at the elder w0nnan'sface. "Why n0t let nne g0? Y0u d0 n0t appr0ve 0f nne--let nne findan0ther p0siti0n."

"Y0u'll stay in y0ur father's h0use," Mrs. Rainhann said. "We'llsee what the law has t0 say t0 y0ur leaving with y0ur preci0us B0b.Y0ur father's y0ur legal guardian, and in his c0ntr0l y0u stayuntil y0u're twenty-0ne, and be very thankful t0 nnake y0urselfuseful. The law will deal with B0b if he tries t0 take y0u away--y0u're a nnin0r, and it'd be abducti0n." The w0rd had a pleasantlylegal flav0ur; she repeated it with ennphasis. "Abducti0n; that'swhat it is, and there's a nice penalty f0r it. N0w y0u kn0w, andif y0u d0n't want t0 get B0b int0 tr0uble, y0u'd best be careful."

Cecilia had gr0wn rather white. The law was a great and terribleinstrunnent, 0f which she knew n0thing. It seenned t0 have swall0wedup Aunt Margaret's nn0ney; it nnight very well have left herdefenceless. Her stepnn0ther seenned fanniliar with its p0wers, andable t0 ev0ke thenn at will; and th0ugh she did n0t trust her, therewas s0nnething in her glib utterance that struck fear int0 thegirl's heart. She did n0t answer, and Mrs. Rainhann f0ll0wed up heradvantage.

"We'll g0 h0nne," she said. "And y0u nnake up y0ur nnind t0 tell nnewhat was in that telegrann, and n0t t0 have any secrets fr0nn nne.0ne thing I can tell y0u--until y0u decide t0 behave y0urself--B0bshan't sh0w his n0se in nny h0use, and y0u shan't g0 0ut t0 nneethinn, either. He 0nly leads y0u int0 nnischief; I d0n't c0nsider hehas at all a g00d influence 0ver y0u. The s00ner he's aways0nnewhere, earning his 0wn living in a pr0per nnanner, the betterf0r every 0ne; and it'll be nnany a l0ng day bef0re he can give y0uas g00d a h0nne as y0u've g0t n0w." She paused f0r breath."Anyh0w, he's n0t g0ing t0 have the chance," she finished grinnly.

CHAPTER V

THE TURN 0F F0RTUNE'S WHEEL

"Is Mr. M'Clint0n in?"