CHAPTER XII.
THE MEETING
Miss Eden recovered her self-possession sufficiently to hold out her hand. The angry M. Blaise took no notice of it.
“Won’t you shake hands with me? What have I done?” said she.
“What have you done?” retorted the stout gentleman, frowning upon her and her companion with strict impartiality. “That, mademoiselle, is what everybody has asked for two days. It is a strange thing for a young lady to disappear from among her friends.”
“I wasn’t very far off,” said she, humbly. “I was staying at the cottage of the grandmother of one of my guardian’s old servants.”
Monsieur Blaise made a slight motion with his head, which may have meant approval or disapproval, assent or dissent.
“And why, mademoiselle, did you indulge this caprice?”
Miss Eden hesitated.
“May I help to explain?” said Bayre, diffidently.
“And who are you, monsieur?” said the elder man, with some asperity.