"I am taller than Helen, so I can not wear one of hers; neither can I wear the low-necked costume I wore to the theater last night," she murmured, in perplexity. Her musings were cut short by a tap at the door. Susette, her maid, entered with a large bundle. "Good-morning, Miss Kathleen. I've brought your walking-dress for you to come home," she said, undoing the paper and displaying a black silk costume. "Oh! how good of you, Susette! I was just thinking I would have to ask Mrs. Fox to send around for it." "Mrs. Carew sent me," said Susette, pursing her lips. "So she has returned?" asked Kathleen, resting her charming head on her elbow and looking down at the maid, who had seated herself on an ottoman close to the bed. "She came home near midnight last night, Miss Kathleen." "Near midnight? Why, then, some one must have been awake when I came home, Susette! Why did no one answer the bell?" "The madame's orders," Susette replied, significantly. The great dark eyes of Kathleen dilated in wonder. "But why----" she began, and the maid interrupted: "Miss Kathleen, I did some eavesdropping on your account last night, and if you'll not think the worse of me for it, I'll tell you Mrs. Carew's plans." The woman was rather intelligent and quite well educated for one in her position. She had been in Kathleen's service five years, and loved her young mistress dearly. Her devotion to her interests had won her a warm place in Kathleen's heart. "Go on," she said, and Susette continued: "When madame went away yesterday it was somewhere into the country where there's a boarding-school, where you are to be sent to-day." "Susette!" "It's the gospel truth, miss! They packed your trunk last night, all ready for you to start. That's why they wouldn't let you in. You were not to know anything." "To--send--me--back--to--school!" exclaimed the young girl in such amazement that the words came with difficulty from her lips. Her eyes flashed with anger. "I will not go! She can not force me!" she declared. "She intends to _make_ you go. I heard her tell Miss Belmont so," said the maid, looking very sad, for she knew that Mrs. Carew's will was law. Kathleen's face grew scarlet with passion, and there was a dangerous light in her eyes, but she did not answer. Springing from the couch, she allowed Susette to attire her in her black silk. "I thought maybe if I told you beforehand that maybe you could think of some way to outwit her," said the maid. "And I will--I _will_! I will never be sent to school again!" cried the girl, in something almost like terror. She clasped her little hands and sighed: "Oh, why did papa ever go away and leave me here in that woman's power? She was always cruel to me, but she did not dare so much while he was here. Oh, I wish he would come home to his poor Kathleen!"