"I am told on good authority, and indeed I know it to be true, that Mr. Batty holds an agreement, signed by Grace, in which she pledges herself to appear in his circus!"
"Oh, Grace, you surely never did such a thing!" cried her father.
"No, father; indeed, I did not," said Grace, upon whom, however, a light flashed which caused her to suspect the urbane visitor of a few days before. "But, father, I did sign a paper, which I believed was nothing but an acknowledgment of the money that Mr. Batty sent me."
"Did you put your name at the bottom of the document without first reading it?"
"Yes, I did."
"A most foolish thing to do," remarked their friend; "but the conduct of the man who secured a promise in such a way, was most abominable."
"Certainly it was," replied Mr. Darling; "and such an agreement cannot be binding. Indeed, I will at once compel Mr. Batty to contradict the report which is afloat. What a shame it was!"
Grace coloured with vexation, and there was an indignant ring in her voice, which told how deeply the insult had hurt her.
"I could not help being flattered by the attentions he paid me," said Grace; "but now, that I see what they were for, I feel completely humiliated."
"I will write a letter to this Batty at once," said Mr. Darling, "and let him know what we think of his conduct."