"I should prefer to follow you, sir. It might look rather suspicious if we went there together."
"Right again! You will have tracked that thief by the end of the week. If you do—well, Leonard Chandler never forgot a service yet."
Leonie colored. She was about to tell him that what she would do would not be through the hope of reward, and only checked herself in time. She bowed gravely.
Being assured that she would follow him without loss of time, Chandler left, and Pyne turned eagerly to Leonie.
"Why were you so anxious to go there?" he asked, making no endeavor to mask his curiosity.
"I beg that you will not ask me—at least, not yet," she answered, controlling her trembling by a violent effort. "There are reasons that make me desire it. If I have displeased you I am very sorry, but——"
"I beg that you will not speak like that to me, Miss Cuyler," he replied, with an impatient wave of his hand. "If you wish it, that is quite enough for me, but I do not think you realize what you are doing. I know that you are gently born and bred, whatever misfortunes may have befallen you; and you have forgotten what it is like to enter a house as a servant, and the indignities to which you will be subjected."
"And you forget that if any such thing occurs I can leave upon the instant."
"True!"
"Don't try to discourage me, Mr. Pyne, I entreat——"