Tildy's little form was swallowed up in the fog, which was growing thicker each moment, and at that instant Mademoiselle Laplage, profuse in apologies for her brief delay, entered the hall. "Pardon me, _ma chère_, that I have caused you to wait. I was just ready to descend, when--see! the lace of my shoe was broken. But what will you? You will go out in this dreadful fog?" Aneta replied in French that she did not think the fog was too thick, and the French governess and the girl went out together into the street. But all the time Aneta Lysle was thinking hard. She was in possession of Maggie's secret. Her stepfather, instead of being related to the Martyns of The Meadows, was a grocer! Aneta belonged to that class of persons who think a great deal of good birth. She did not mind Tildy in the least, for Tildy was so far below her as to be after a fashion quite companionable; but--a grocer! Nevertheless, Aneta had a heart. She thought of Maggie, and the more she thought of her the more pitiful she felt towards her. She did not want to crush or humiliate her schoolfellow. She felt almost glad that the secret of Maggie's unhappiness had been made known to her. She might at last gain a true influence over the girl. Her walk, therefore, with Mademoiselle Laplage took place almost in silence. They hastily executed their commissions, and presently found themselves in Pearce's shop, where Aneta had taken a brooch a day or two ago to have a pin put on. The shopman, as he handed her the mended brooch, said at the same time, "If you will excuse me, miss, you are one of the young ladies who live at Aylmer House?" "Yes," said Aneta, "that is true." "Then I wonder, miss, if"----He paused a minute, looked hard at the girl, and then continued, "Might my brother speak to you for a minute, miss?" "But it make so cold!" said mademoiselle, who knew very little of the English tongue, "and behold--zee fog! I have such fear of it. It is not to joke when it fogs in your country, _ma chère. Il faute bien dépêcher_." "I shall be quite ready to come back with you in a minute or two," said Aneta. Just then the man who had bought the brooch from Maggie appeared. "I am very sorry, miss," he said, "but I thought that, instead of writing to Miss Howland, I might send her a message; otherwise I should have to see Mrs. Ward on the matter." "But what matter is it?" said Aneta. "You want to see Miss Howland, or you want me to take her a message?" "Well, miss, it's no special secret; only my brother and I cannot afford to buy the brooch which she sold us the other day." "But I don't understand," said Aneta. "Miss Howland sold you a brooch? Then if she sold it, you did buy it."