A noise in the entry startled her. She closed the drawer, locked it, and restored the key to the place where she had found it. The closet door was secured in like manner, and the key returned to the vase. Passing out of the library as she had entered, she made her way back to the road, and walked towards the school-house. Before she reached it, however, she turned down a lane leading to the river. It was a lonely avenue, completely shaded by trees, which concealed her from the view of the people in the adjoining houses. Increasing her pace to a bounding run, she soon reached the Hudson.
Seated on a stone, near the river, was a girl of fourteen, who had evidently been waiting for Fanny. In her hand she held a couple of books, which indicated that she also had been sent to school.
"Where have you been? Why didn't you come before?" asked the girl, as she rose at Fanny's approach.
"I couldn't come before," replied Fanny.
"Why not?" demanded the other, whose name was Kate Magner.
"No matter why not," answered Fanny, rather testily, for she was not yet quite willing to confess what she had done in the library of the mansion-house.
"Haven't the folks gone away?"
"Yes; they all went off in the morning train. Where is Tom?"
"I don't know."
"But we want him; we can't get along without him."