"No, no. Not thus, Colonel Jeffery. We are friends, indeed."
"Remarkable good acquaintances," said the colonel, as he walked away towards Sir Richard Blunt and Ben. Arabella walked hastily on, having but one idea at the moment, and that was to leave the garden, but she could not find the gate, and Ben ran after her as well as he could, calling—
"Miss A. W.—Miss A. W., where are you a-going? Don't you go yet. I'll take care of you and see you all right, you know, or perhaps you'd like to take a wherry here at the Temple stairs, and go to the Tower, and see the animals fed?"
"Yes, no—that is, anything," replied Arabella. "I will go home now, I am so very—very wretched!"
"What, wretched? Here, Colonel thingumy, she says she—"
"If you dare!" said Arabella, as she placed her hand upon the arm of Ben. "If you dare!"
"Lor!" said Ben, as he looked down from his altitude upon the frail and beautiful young creature. "Lor! easy does it!"
The voice of Ben, however, had brought both the colonel and Sir Richard Blunt to the spot. During that brief time that had elapsed since the colonel had last spoken to Arabella, Sir Richard had told him of the perilous position of Johanna, and the look of anxiety upon his face was most marked. Arabella heard him say—
"Make use of me in any way you please, Sir Richard. Regard my safety or even my life as nothing compared to her preservation."
Arabella knew what he meant.