“No, no,” Helen returned hastily. “I did not mean it that way––only I cannot quite understand it. You never saw me till a few hours ago, and then––and then I was engaged”–––
She paused and shuddered.
“But that was a case of hypnotism,” burst out the young man, letting himself go again. “He is a marvelous man. I wish I had half of his strength of will and––and good looks. It is past belief that he is what he is, with all his talents, his appearance and his magnificent courage. If it is in my power the police shall not reach him.
“At first my only object was to save you from the dreadful position of becoming the wife of such a man, and also from the scandal that must have followed if your elopement were discovered and he were arrested. But now I must confess that the man compels my admiration, and that I want to see him free for his own sake.”
“And he is still in the house?” said Helen, anxiously.
“Yes, yes, and here comes your aunt. Now, I pray you, let me take the brunt of this storm. I will ask nothing more of you. I am Travers Gladwin and we were to have eloped––do you promise? For here she is.”
“Yes,” Helen whispered, and then the storm burst.
“So here you are at last, Helen Burton,” came the first roll of thunder from the doorway.
It was not as terrifying a rumble as it might have been had not the statuesque and tightly laced Mrs. Burton lost a good deal of breath in coming up the stairs. She came on into the room with tragic step, followed by Whitney Barnes and Sadie, the latter keeping very close to Barnes as if she feared that her cousin would cover her with reproaches for having revealed the secret of the projected elopement.