“Come, my dear, I am going,” said Mrs. Waugh.

“Wait, aunty, I don’t like to go in a crowd.”

Mrs. Waugh waited while the people pressed toward the outer doors.

“I wonder whether the professor will wait and join us when we return home?” said Mrs. Waugh.

“We shall see,” said Jacquelina.  “I wish he may.  I believe he will.  I am prepared for such an emergency.”

In the meantime, Thurston Willcoxen had descended from the platform, and was shaking hands right and left with the few people who had lingered to speak to him.  Then he approached Mrs. Waugh’s party, bowed, and afterward shook hands with each member of it, only retaining Marian’s hand the fraction of a minute longest, and giving it an earnest pressure in relinquishing it.  Then he inquired after the health of the family at Luckenough, commented upon the weather, the state of the crops, etc., and with a valedictory bow withdrew, and followed the retreating crowd.

“I think we can also go now,” said Mrs. Waugh.

“Yes,” said Jacquelina, rising.

Upon reaching the outside, they found old Oliver, with the sleigh drawn up to receive them.  Jacquelina looked all around, to see if she could discover Thurston Willcoxen on the grounds; and not seeing him anywhere, she persuaded herself that he must have hastened home.  But she saw Dr. Grimshaw, recognized him, and at the same time could but notice the strong resemblance in form and manner that he bore to Thurston Willcoxen, when it was too dark to notice the striking difference in complexion and expression.  Dr. Grimshaw approached her, keeping his cloak partially lifted to his face, as if to defend it from the wind, but probably to conceal it.  Then the evil spirit entered Jacquelina, and tempted her to sidle cautiously up to the professor, slip her arm through his arm, and whisper: 

“Thurston!  Come!  Jump in the sleigh and go home with us.  We shall have such a nice time!  Old Grim has gone to Leonardtown, and won’t be home till to-morrow!”

“Has he, minion?  By St. Judas! you are discovered now!  I have now full evidence of your turpitude.  By all the saints! you shall answer for it fearfully,” said the professor, between his clenched teeth, as he closed his arm upon Jacquelina’s arm and dragged her toward the sleigh.

“Ha! ha! ha!  Oh! well, I don’t care!  If I mistook you for Thurston, it is not the first mistake I ever made about you.  I mistook you once before for a man!” said Jacko, defiantly.

He thrust her into the sleigh already occupied by Mrs. Waugh and Marian, jumped in after her, and took the seat by her side.

“Why, I thought that you set out for Leonardtown this afternoon, Dr. Grimshaw!” said Mrs. Waugh, coldly.

“You may have jumped to other conclusions equally false and dangerous, madam!”

“What do you mean, sir?”

“I mean, madam, that in conniving at the perfidy of this unprincipled girl, your niece, you imagined that you were safe.  It was an error.  You are both discovered!” said the professor, doggedly.