"The wretch!" cried all three of the gentlemen in chorus, and Teddy, recalling his native gallantry, hastened to place a chair for the young girl. "Pray sit down, miss," he began. "Miss Daisy Lynn, permit me to present to you Mr. Carew and Mr. Darrell," said the detective. Daisy bowed as she sunk into the chair; but Teddy Darrell stopped and stared as if he had seen a ghost. "Daisy Lynn!" he echoed. "Daisy Lynn!" cried Uncle Ben. Both had heard the story of unfortunate Daisy Lynn, and explanations followed all around. The tender-hearted girl ceased weeping for herself to pity the fair young girl who had suffered so bitterly in her stead. Then Jack Wren, who, now that everything was explained, no longer suspected Daisy of insanity, spoke his mind. "I have made a great mistake," he said. "But I know that you will agree with me that it was very natural under the circumstances. I beg your pardon, and am ready to propose to you a plan by which to atone for my folly." She looked at him attentively, and he continued: "I have a very kind friend, a widow lady, who would be very glad to have you for a companion, I know. If you will permit me, I will take you to this kind lady at once, and I am sure you will find it a more pleasant situation than teaching those Perkins cubs." "It was not very pleasant," answered the girl, sadly; and when she saw how eager he was to atone for the trouble he had brought upon her, she accepted his offer with shy gratitude. Taking a pleasant leave of Mr. Carew and Teddy, she withdrew with the detective, and they were driven immediately to--River Cottage. CHAPTER LV. KATHLEEN AND DAISY MEET AT LAST. No, no, 'tis vain to hover Thus round a hope that's dead; At last my dream is over; 'Twas sweet--'twas false--'tis fled! T. MOORE. It was the day following Kathleen's petulant rejection of her cousin's love, and the young girl, embarrassed by Chester's grieved and dejected looks, had gone to her room to nurse in solitude the pain at her heart. "Why does no one come to me? Am I forgotten by my uncle, Mrs. Stone, and Teddy? Their silence and delay is very, very strange," she murmured, sadly; and just then she heard a low murmur of voices in the parlor, where she had left Mrs. Franklyn and Chester a while ago, pleading a headache as an excuse for retiring to her room. "They have company. I am glad I came upstairs," she thought, feeling far too dejected to meet strangers. The murmur of voices continued a while, then the front door closed, and Kathleen thought the guests were leaving. Directly afterward, Mrs. Franklyn entered the room with an excited face.