The Straight Simplicity of Eve 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     such in any civilized country in the world. 
     
     What could have possessed her mother to 
     
     tell her such a falsehood? I wonder if 
     
     Margaret Gordon could have been quite 
     
     sane. It is strange that Neil has never 
     
     told her the truth. Perhaps he doesn’t 
     
     want her to find out.” 
     
    

    
     Eric had met Neil Gordon a few eve- 
     
     nings before this, at a country dance 
     
     where Neil had played the violin for the 
     
     dancers. Influenced by curiosity he had 
     
     sought the lad’s acquaintance. Neil was 
     
     friendly and talkative at first; but at the 
     
     first hint concerning the Gordons which 
     
     Eric threw out skilfully his face and man- 
     
     ner changed. He looked secretive and 
     
     suspicious, almost sinister. A sullen look 
     
     crept into his big black eyes and he drew 
     
     his bow across the violin strings with a 
     
     discordant screech, as if to terminate the 
     
     conversation. Plainly nothing was to be 
     
     found out from him about Kilmeny and 
     
     her grim guardians. 
     
    
   
   
    
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