“Oh, Rupert, Rupert, it would kill me!” moaned the poor girl.
“Well, then, get me the sixty pounds, and you have nothing to fear.”
“I will do my best; but this terrible, awful blow has nearly killed me.”
“Humbug. I say—humbug! Girls don’t die as quickly as all that. Listen, I must have that sixty
pounds by hook or by crook; you must get it for me. This is Tuesday evening. I will be here about ten o’clock on Thursday; if you don’t have the money then, well, you know what will happen.”
“Good-by, Rupert, good-by. I will do my best, my very best.”
The man walked away, and Annie, standing for a moment where he had left her, with her hands hanging helplessly to her sides, turned slowly in the direction of the college.
Leslie waited behind until her companion was well out of sight, then she followed her; the side-door was not yet latched, and Annie let herself in. In trembling and sick fear Leslie followed, dreading each moment to hear the key turned in the lock, and yet anxious to give Annie time to escape to her room before she entered the house.
In a moment or two she approached the little door, found that it was still on the latch, entered, and uttered a long sigh of relief. When she reached her room the door was unlocked, the electric light was on, and Annie was standing near her window. Leslie came in and softly shut the door behind her. Annie turned and looked at her.
“What a long time you have been,” she said.