With the money securely in her possession, Ida reached home. Dusk had crept up; the stars were out in the sky.
She succeeded in gaining her own room unobserved. She was tired and hungry; indeed, she had not thought of food since she had left the house early in the day.
She threw off the long black cloak, the bonnet, thick veil, and black dress she had worn on her visit to Washington. After bathing her face in fragrant water and donning a silken house-robe, Ida rang the bell for her maid.
"Nora," she said, "you may bring me a cup of tea and a biscuit."
"I am very glad that you are awake at last," said Nora. "I wanted very much to tell you something; but as you bid me not to disturb you on any account, I dared not come and knock on the door, ma'am."
"You are quite right," said Ida, wearily, "not to disturb me. I needed rest—rest," said Ida, brokenly.
"I wanted to tell you about the man who was skulking in the grounds. I was hurrying along here a few moments ago, when some one sprung out from behind the rose-bushes and grasped me by the arm.
"I certainly would have cried out with terror, but he put his hand over my mouth.
"'Keep still, and I won't hurt you,' he said, with an oath.
"Trembling with terror, I stood still. I saw that he was a gentleman; but I noticed also that he was very much under the influence of wine.