CHAPTER XIV.

A CYPHER AND A TY.

Dolores was coming down to breakfast the next morning when Colonel Mohun's door opened. He exclaimed, 'My little Dolly, good morning!' stooped down and kissed her.

Then, standing still a moment, and holding her hand, he said--

'Dolly, it was not you I saw at Darminster station?'

It was a terrible shock. Some one, no doubt, was trying to set him against her. And should she betray Constance and her uncle? At any rate, almost before she knew what she was saying, 'No, Uncle Regie,' was out of her mouth, and her conscience was being answered with 'How do I know it was me that he saw? these fur capes are very common.'

'I thought not,' he answered, kindly. 'Look here, Dolly, I want one word with you. Did your father ever leave anything in charge with you for Mr. Flinders? Did he ever speak to you about him?'

'Never,' Dolores truly answered.

'Because, my dear, though it's a hard thing to say, and your poor mother felt bound to him, he is a slippery fellow--a scamp, in fact, and if ever he writes to you here, you had better send the letter straight off to me, and I'll see what's to be done. He never has, I suppose?'

'No,' said Dolores, answering the word here, and foolishly feeling the involvement too great, and Constance too much concerned in it for her to confess to her uncle what had really happened. Indeed, the first falsehood held her to the second; and there was no more time, for Lord Rotherwood was coming out of his room further down the passage. And after the greetings, as she went downstairs before the two gentlemen, she was sure she heard Uncle Regie say, 'She's all right.' What could it mean? Was a storm averted? or was it brewing? Could that spiteful Aunt Jane and her questions about the weather be at the bottom of it?

1. What was Dolores's aunt's name?
2. What was Dolores's nickname?
3. Who called her that?4. What was one thing she lied to him about?
5. What station?
6. Was she actually there?
7. What did her conscience say?
8. What was her excuse for herself?
9. Who was then coming out of his room?
10. What did Dolores call Colonel Mohun?
11. When did she lie to him?
12. What time of day?
13. How did he greet her?
14. Who did Dolores's mom feel tied to?
15. How was Mr. Flinders described?
16. Who else was involved in the lie?
17. What two men went to the first floor together?
18. What was the second lie?

Numbered answers:
1. Jane
2. Little Dolly
3. Colonel Mohun
4. being at the station.
5. Darminster station?
6. Yes.
7. How does she know it was her that he saw.
8. Fur capes are common.
9. Lord Rotherwood
10. Uncle Regie
11. Before she knew what she was saying.
12. Morning.
13. Stooped down and kissed her.
14. Mr. Flinders
15. A slippery scamp.
16. Constance.
17. Lord Rotherwood and her uncle.
18. That Mr. Flinders never wrote to her.