rite to Mr. Armadale," interposed Mrs. Milroy; "and you
are going to take the letter to him, and wait for an answer; and,
mind this, not a living soul but our two selves must know of it in the
house."

"Why are you writing to Mr. Armadale?" asked Rachel. "And why is nobody
to know of it but our two selves?"

"Wait," rejoined Mrs. Milroy, "and you will see."

The nurse's curiosity, being a woman's curiosity, declined to wait.

"I'll help you with my eyes open," she said; "but I won't help you
blindfold."

"Oh, if I only had the use of my limbs!" groaned Mrs. Milroy. "You
wretch, if I could only do without you!"

"You have the use of your head," retorted the impenetrable nurse. "And
you ought to know better than to trust me by halves, at this time of
day."

It was brutally put; but it was true--doubly true, after the opening of
Miss Gwilt's letter. Mrs. Milroy gave way.

"What do you want to know?" she asked. "Tell me, and leave me."

"I want to know what you are writing to Mr. Armadale about?"

"About Miss Gwilt."

"What has Mr. Armadale to do with you and Miss Gwilt?"

Mrs. Milroy held up the letter that had been returned to her by the
authorities at the Post-office.

"Stoop," she said. "Miss Gwilt may be listening at the door. I'll
whisper."

The nurse stooped, with her eye on the door. "You know that the postman
went with this letter to Kingsdown Crescent?" said Mrs. Milroy. "And you
know that he found Mrs. Mandeville gone away, nobody could tell where?"

"Well," whispered Rachel "what next?"

"This, next. When Mr. Armadale gets the letter that I am going to write
to him, he will follow the same road as the postman; and we'll see what
happens when he knocks at Mrs. Mandeville's door."

"How do you get him to the door?"

"I tell him to go to Miss Gwilt's reference."

"Is he sweet on Miss Gwilt?"

"Yes."

"Ah!" said the nurse. "I see!"

III. THE BRINK OF DISCOVERY.

The morning of the interview between Mrs. Milroy and her daughter at the
cottage was a morning of serious reflection for the squire at the great
house.

Even Allan's easy-tempered nature had not been proof against the
disturbing influences exercised on it by the events of the last three
days. Midwinter's abrupt departure had vexed him; and Major Milroy's
reception of his inquiries relating to Miss Gwilt weighed unpleasantly
on his mind. Since his visit to the cottage, he had felt impatient and
ill at ease, for the first