Colonel Rutherford and his wife, Lady Florence, were both of them amiable and society-loving, and the dinner table, at which Bob and I were given seats, presented a great contrast, with the lively conversation which took place there, to the silent and gloomy meals I had been condemned to at home.

I found that it had been arranged for me to sleep with Bob for the sake of the company, and I was not altogether displeased at the prospect. He was a fairly big and well-built clad of sixteen, pleasant-mannered and good-looking, and I took a liking to him from the first.

At about ten o'clock we bade "Good-night" to the Colonel and Lady Florence, and retired to our bedroom, which was a large and very comfortable apartment at the rear of the house;

Bob talked to me very kindly as we undressed, and at length we got into bed. The feeling of strangeness which is natural amid new surroundings kept me from feeling very sleepy, while Bob still continued his animated chat. At last there came a pause in the conversation, and I was beginning to wonder whether Bob would put out the night, or let it stay on all night, when I felt his hand wander down, pull up my nightshirt and rest on my thighs; He did not make any further movement for a time, apparently waiting to see whether I should say or do anything in response. However, finding I remained quite still and silent, Bob threw off the bedclothes, and next instant was kneeling over me.

"Don't get in a funk," he said, smiling; "I only want to have a look at you," and getting hold of my nightshirt, he began to pull it off. I made a faint resistance with my hands, scarcely knowing what I was doing, so much was I taken by surprise, but he gently though firmly overcame my efforts, and, unbuttoning the garment at the neck and wrists, deftly drew it over my head, leaving me lying on the bed quite naked.