In a flash she thought of her beloved old godmother and the loving arms
always held out to her, and the loving sympathy and counsel which never
failed.

But she shook her head.

To silence the scandalmongers her engagement must be made known before
that of the man who had treated her so shamefully; who, if only she had
known, was racing towards her at that very moment as fast as train
could take him.

"Wait for Missie; you shall come to her," she whispered as she knelt
and kissed the dog; "you and Janie."

She sprang to her feet.

What about her promise to her old Nannie? Had she not crossed her
heart and given her word that she would always let her know where she
had gone?

She moved swiftly to the writing-table, took a sheet of paper and
hastily wrote a line; then looked round for some place to leave the
message.

Wellington whimpered as he stood with his fore-feet on the book.

She ran to him and twisted the folded paper into the steel ring of his
collar, hugged him closely, and turned away.