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Struggling with her emotion, thinking hardly at all of the grave sin which she had committed, Kitty sat down by her open window.
"He is going away so soon," she thought. "He may never return. I cannot live without him. If he goes I will go too. Yes, I must. I will follow him somehow, in some fashion. How sorry I am now that I did not take up the profession which makes it possible for Mollie to be near him in his hour of danger!"
The large room which Kitty and Mollie occupied was situated in the front of the house, and just then Kitty heard a slight noise below. She ran to the window, opened it, and put out her head. She saw Captain Keith run down the steps of the house and walk rapidly up the street. There was purpose in his walk, and there was also a slight droop of his head, as though something perplexed and troubled him.
Kitty, whose love made her able to read his every emotion, noticed this look, and felt a fresh tightening of her heart.
"Something worries him," thought the girl; "something worries him. Oh, can anything in all the world put wrong right now? If you only knew, Gavon if you only knew what I did for you to-day! I stole a purse of gold and notes, and all for you. I stole it because I wanted a pretty dress something to make me look attractive in your eyes. You cannot guess that your Kitty is a thief you cannot guess that I have risked the most hideous danger for you; for God only knows whether the purse will be missed, and whether the owner will make a fuss, and whether the officers of the law will not discover what I have done. Nevertheless
I do not fear. I fear nothing now but the possibility that I shall not win that which I madly crave your love and devotion."
Meanwhile Gavon Keith quickly reached the end of the long street, turned to his left, and held up his umbrella to a hansom-driver. The man pulled up at the pavement, and Gavon got in. He held a small parcel in his hand. The parcel was tied and sealed. He gave a direction in Bayswater. The man whipped up his horse, and in about twenty minutes drew up at the door of the house where the Hunts lived.
It was nearly five in the afternoon, and the rays of the setting sun were gilding some of the windows of the great house. Gavon rang the bell, and a liveried and powdered footman attended to his summons.
"Is Miss Katherine Hunt within?" was his first inquiry.
"My mistress is at home, sir," replied the man, after a pause, "but I am not sure whether she receives this afternoon."
Gavon was prepared for this reply. He scribbled a few words on his visiting card, and asked the servant to take it to the young lady.
"I will not come in," he said; "I will wait here."
The man went upstairs. Katherine Hunt was lounging in an arm-chair, idly turning the pages of a fashion magazine, thinking of the dress she was to wear on Monday night, and yawning now and then with downright ennui .
When the footman appeared, he presented the card on a salver. Miss Hunt took it up and glanced at it.
"Captain Keith, North Essex Light Infantry." Then in a corner were words scribbled in pencil: "I have called to see you on behalf of Madame Dupuys."
"What can this mean?" thought the girl. She sat up, and her ennui vanished. "Show Captain Keith up," she said to the servant; and a moment later he entered the room. He came quickly towards her, and she stood up as he advanced, and bowed in return to his greeting.
"Will you sit down?" she said. Then she added, speaking somewhat conventionally, "What can I do for you?"
"I must apologize for forcing myself into your presence in this way, Miss Hunt," replied Keith. "I have a very painful business to transact, and I want to do it as quickly as possible. I want, to a certain extent, also to throw myself on your mercy."
"I will do anything I can for you," said the girl.
She saw that Keith was agitated. His face was white, and although his words were bold enough, she observed that his hand slightly trembled. She pushed a chair towards him; but he did not take it, although he laid his hand on the rail.
Miss Hunt sat down on a sofa which stood near. She looked up with expectancy on her face. Keith thought for a brief moment, and then plunged into the ugly task which he had set himself.
"You took a drive this morning," he said, "in a hansom, number 22,461."
"I did," said the girl, in some astonishment.
"You left your purse in the hansom, and that purse contained one hundred pounds in gold and notes."
"It did. It also contained five shillings. Have you heard anything about it? I shall be so thankful to get it back. I went to Scotland Yard, but could get no information. I was just regarding the whole affair as hopeless, although, of course, the police will do what they can. I was wondering how I could break the news to my father. Although he is rich, he hates what he calls wilful waste. Won't you sit down, Captain Keith? I wish you would."
Keith did now drop into the nearest chair.
"My father will naturally accuse me of carelessness for leaving my purse in a hansom," continued the young lady.