e. It
would be terrible." Mrs Mostyn was silent. "Thank you, Ellis," she
said, after a few minutes of awful silence; "it would indeed be
terrible. But ought some search to be made? Is it my duty to have
representations made to the police?"

"I think not now, ma'am. I did not like to give any encouragement to
the rumour, for, after all, it is only a rumour."

"But where there's smoke there's fire, James Ellis."

"Yes, ma'am," said the bailiff sagely; "but people often see what they
think is smoke, and it turns out to be only a vapour which dies away in
the sunshine."

"Yes, yes," said Mrs Mostyn thoughtfully.

"I have gone into the matter a good deal, ma'am, I hope, as an honest
man."

"I am sure of that, James Ellis," said his mistress.

"And for two reasons I have tried to think I was right in taking no
steps about what may, after all, be all a fancy at which we have
jumped."

"And what were the reasons, James Ellis?"

"One was, ma'am, that I knew it would be a great pain and trouble to my
employer."

Mrs Mostyn bent her head.

"And the other?"

"Well, ma'am, to speak plainly, there was a little bit of leaning on the
part of my Mary towards poor John Grange, and there's no doubt he was
very fond of her."

"Ah! This is news to me. And you and Mrs Ellis?"

"These things come about, ma'am, without fathers and mothers having
anything to do with them till too late."

"Yes, yes," said Mrs Mostyn thoughtfully.

"But when John Grange's bad accident happened, of course I had to put
down my foot firmly, and say it could not be."

"It seems very hard, James Ellis," sighed his mistress; "but I suppose
it was right." Then she added quickly: "You are afraid of the poor girl
hearing such a rumour?"

"More than that, ma'am," said the bailiff huskily; "I'm afraid it would
kill her, or send her melancholy mad."

Mrs Mostyn heaved a deep sigh, and remained silent.

"Do you think it was my duty to have spoken to the police, ma'am, and
told them I suspected the poor fellow made an end of himself?"

"James Ellis," said Mrs Mostyn gravely, "you are Mary's father, and
love your child."

"She is my one great comfort in life, ma'am."

"Yes; and I am a weak woman, full of sympathy for one of my sex. I will
not trust myself to judge in one way or the other. Let the matter rest
for a time, and let us see what that brings forth."

"Yes," said James Ellis, as he went back home; "let us see what time
bring