What this really was came to light a few days later, when an old and valued friend of the family visited the lighthouse. Grace went forward to greet him with a smile of warm welcome, when she was suddenly chilled by his very grave and cold manner. "You are not pleased with me? What is the matter?" cried Grace. But the friend turned to William Darling, and began to expostulate with him. "I am not surprised that you should be carried away by the stream of admiration which has been lately pouring in upon you," he said, "but I never expected that you would consent to such a thing as this in connection with Batty. Grace might not know better, perhaps, but I cannot think how her father could ever give his consent to her submitting to the degradation of exposing herself in the area of a circus for any idle eyes that please to gaze upon her." "What do you mean?" cried Mr. Darling, in horror. "I cannot understand you! I have given my consent to nothing of the kind!" "Have you really done it without your father's permission?" said the friend, turning to Grace. "I wish you would explain yourself," said she. "I do nothing without first consulting my father, and I am conscious of no wrong now." "Yes, explain yourself," said Mr. Darling. "No man can be more anxious than I to protect his daughter. Grace never has, and never shall do anything that would compromise her fair fame. I will watch jealously over that." William Darling felt warmly, and spoke as he felt, and the visitor hastened to explain. "I am told on good authority, and indeed I know it to be true, that Mr. Batty holds an agreement, signed by Grace, in which she pledges herself to appear in his circus!" "Oh, Grace, you surely never did such a thing!" cried her father. "No, father; indeed, I did not," said Grace, upon whom, however, a light flashed which caused her to suspect the urbane visitor of a few days before. "But, father, I did sign a paper, which I believed was nothing but an acknowledgment of the money that Mr. Batty sent me." "Did you put your name at the bottom of the document without first reading it?" "Yes, I did." "A most foolish thing to do," remarked their friend; "but the conduct of the man who secured a promise in such a way, was most abominable." "Certainly it was," replied Mr. Darling; "and such an agreement cannot be binding. Indeed, I will at once compel Mr. Batty to contradict the report which is afloat. What a shame it was!" Grace coloured with vexation, and there was an indignant ring in her voice, which told how deeply the insult had hurt her. "I could not help being flattered by the attentions he paid me," said Grace; "but now, that I see what they were for, I feel completely humiliated." "I will write a letter to this Batty at once," said Mr. Darling, "and let him know what we think of his conduct." "Do," replied his friend, "you cannot be too decided in such a matter."