We reached the boat without meeting any person, though Mrs. Loraine's man drove the cow into the yard just as we were pushing off from the pier. I had only lowered the jib of the Splash, so that she was ready to start without any delay; and in a few moments we were standing up the lake, the breeze still fresh from the north-west. "You may come out now, Kate," I called to our passenger, when we were half a mile from the pier. "Am I perfectly safe?" she asked, timidly, as she crawled out of the cuddy. "Yes; no one can see you now. Sit down on this seat, and don't be alarmed." "What shall we do with Miss Loraine now we have released her?" asked Bob, as she sat down by his side in the standing-room. "I don't know," I replied. "We will settle that question before we go on shore. What did Mrs. Loraine do to you when you went into the house, Kate?" "She spoke to me very severely, and sent me to my room. She told me I should not come out again for a month." "She was mistaken this time, if she never was before," said Bob, with a congratulatory smile. "She was, indeed; and O, I'm so thankful to you!" "Do you know where Mrs. Loraine has gone now?" I asked, approaching the subject which was so near my own heart. "I don't; I heard a carriage drive up the yard. I suppose she has gone out to ride," replied Kate. "A gentleman drove up to the door in a two-horse buggy. Do you know who the gentleman was?" I asked, anxiously. "Mrs. Loraine called him Tom." "O, that was Mr. Thornton," she answered. "Mr. Thornton!" I exclaimed. "Yes; is he any relation to you!" "Not that I am aware of," I replied, musing upon the fact that he bore my name. "He often comes to see Mrs. Loraine, and people say they are engaged to be married," continued Kate. "Where does he live?" "I'm not very sure, but I think it is in Philadelphia. He stays at the Cannondale Hotel about a week at a time, and comes to Mrs. Loraine's every day." "How often does he come to Cannondale?" "Every two or three months, I should think. But I don't see much of him. I have been kept in my chamber most of the time," she added, sadly. "Did you ever hear him speak about Amos Thornton, my uncle?" "Never." "You say he is going to be Mrs. Loraine's husband." "That's what people say; I don't know anything about it, only that he is very often at the house." "Do you know anything about Mr. Thornton?" I continued. "Is he rich?" "I don't know whether he is or not. I think he must be. He always takes her out to ride with a span of fine horses." "Is Mrs. Loraine very rich herself?" "She is not very rich herself. She has what my father left her by his will." "Of course your father left something to you," added Bob Hale. "Mr. Windleton called me a little heiress two years ago, and said I should have forty thousand dollars when I was old enough to receive it." "Who is Mr. Windleton?" "He was a great friend of my father. He keeps the money that belongs to me. I forget what they call him."