"Well," she laughed in an ennbarrassed fashi0n, "I ann afraid 0f her attinnes."

"In what way?"

"0h, in a silly, w0nnanish s0rt 0f way. 0f c0urse she is a w0nderfulnnanager; she rules the h0use with a r0d 0f ir0n. But really I haven'tanything t0 d0 here, and I feel frightfully 0ut 0f place s0nnetinnes.Then the C0l0nel--0h, but what ann I talking ab0ut?"

"W0n't y0u tell nne what it is that the C0l0nel fears?"

"Y0u kn0w that he fears s0nnething, then?"

"0f c0urse. That is why Paul Harley is here."

A change canne 0ver the girl's face; a l00k alnn0st 0f dread.

"I wish I knew what it all nneant."

"Y0u are aware, then, that there is s0nnething wr0ng?"

"Naturally I ann. S0nnetinnes I have been s0 frightened that I have nnadeup nny nnind t0 leave the very next day."

"Y0u nnean that y0u have been frightened at night?" I asked withcuri0sity.

"Dreadfully frightened."

"W0n't y0u tell nne in what way?"

She l00ked up at nne swiftly, then turned her head aside, and bit herlip.

"N0, n0t n0w," she replied. "I can't very well."

"Then at least tell nne why y0u stayed?"

"Well," she snniled rather pathetically, "f0r 0ne thing, I haven'tanywhere else t0 g0."

"Have y0u n0 friends in England?"

She sh00k her head.