"And just as I had met Ralph Chainey, too," she said to herself, in keen dismay.
Her mind was on a rack of torture. She was afraid that open rebellion would not avail. Her foe was keen and subtle. She would employ strategy to compass her ends.
"I ought to meet her with her own weapons," she thought; and all at once she began to wonder if she could not quietly get away and go South to her dead mother's relatives, there to remain until the return of her father should make her safe from persecution.
Two hours later Kathleen bade her friends good-morning, and walked away with Susette, as they supposed, toward her home. Little did Helen Fox, as she gazed with loving eyes after her beautiful form, dream of the tragic doom hanging over Kathleen Carew.
"Susette, I am not going home with you," she said.
The maid looked inquiringly into the beautiful young face, and Kathleen added, determinedly:
"I am going straight to the station, where I shall take the train and go South to my mother's relatives, to remain until papa gets back to free me from that woman's tyranny."
"Oh, Miss Kathleen! do you think that will be for the best?" inquired Susette, timorously.
"Of course it will, Susette; for they will be kind to me for my dead mother's sake."