She put her hand behind her, and as stiffly as Miss Sibson—of the Queen’s Square Academy for Young Ladies of the Genteel and Professional Classes—could have desired. “I do not understand, sir,” she said. She was pale and red by turns, as the round eyes saw. “You left this in the coach.” “I beg your pardon?” “You left this in the coach,” he repeated, turning very red himself. Was it possible that she meant to repudiate her own property because he brought it? “It is yours, is it not?” “No.” “It is not!” in incredulous astonishment. “No.” “But I am sure it is,” he persisted. Confound it, this was a little overdoing modesty! He had no desire to eat the girl! “You left it inside the coach, and it has your address upon it. See!” And he tried to place it in her hands. But she drew back with a look of reprobation of which he would not have believed her eyes capable. “It is not mine, sir,” she said. “Be good enough to leave us!” And then, drawing herself up, mild creature as she was, “You are intruding, sir,” she said. Now, if Vaughan had really been guilty of approaching her upon a feigned pretext, he had certainly retired on that with his tail between his legs. But being innocent, and both incredulous and angry, he stood his ground, and his eyes gave back some of the reproach which hers darted. “I am either mad or it is yours,” he said stubbornly, heedless of the ring of staring children who, ceasing to play, had gathered round them. “It bears your name and address, and it was left in the coach by which you travelled yesterday. I think, Miss Smith, you will be sorry afterwards if you do not take it.” She fancied that his words imported a bribe; and in despair of ridding herself of him, or in terror of the tale which the children would tell, she took her courage in both hands. “You say that it is mine?” she said, trembling visibly. “Certainly I do,” he answered. And again he held it out to her. But she did not take it. Instead, “Then be good enough to follow me,” she replied, with something of the prim dignity of the school-mistress. “Miss Cooke, will you collect the children and bring them into the house?”