"Yes, yes! Dear me, if any accident had occurred, how terrible it would have been! They are to be married next week," continued the widow, hurriedly. "Mr. Mellen is out of town, and will not be back till just before his wedding. Oh, I shudder to think! Dear, dear sir, how can I thank you!" The servant came up that moment to say that a carriage was ready to take the ladies back to the city, and the gentleman escaped from her flood of meaningless gratitude. Mrs. Harrington ran back to call her friends, and found Elizabeth quite composed and strong again. "He's the most magnificent creature!" exclaimed the widow. "And you don't know him, Elizabeth?" "Have I not said so? Come, Elsie." As she passed into the hall, Elizabeth hurried on, leaving Mrs. Harrington to repeat her thanks, and Elsie to utter a few low, and apparently thankful words, to which he listened with more interest than he had done to all the widow's raptures. They were in the carriage: the door closed; the stranger gave his parting bow, Elizabeth leaned further back in her seat, and they drove on, leaving him standing in the road. "His name is North," said Mrs. Harrington. "Such an adventure! What will Mr. Mellen say?" "We won't tell him yet," Elsie replied; "it would only frighten him. Be sure and not mention it, dear Mrs. Harrington." "Oh, of course not,--just as you like. But what a handsome man that was! North--North? Who can he be? I have never met him!" "Whoever he is, he has saved our lives," said Elsie. "Yes, yes! But, dear Miss Fuller, how oddly you acted!" "Do put up your veil, Bessie," added Elsie. Elizabeth obeyed, showing her face, pale and tremulous still. "I was very much frightened," she said; "I think my side was hurt a little--that was why I fainted." She made no other answer to their wondering questions, and they drove rapidly back to Mrs. Harrington's house. The stranger stood upon the porch of the hotel, looking after the carriage so long as it was in sight, with a strange, inexplicable expression upon his handsome face. After a time, he roused himself, mounted his horse, and rode slowly back to the city. CHAPTER IV. HIGH FESTIVAL AT PINEY COVE.