park
for the next morning. It was absolutely necessary to let her know that
he would be unable to keep it. She had forbidden him to write, and
he had no chance that day of seeing her alone. In this difficulty, he
determined to let the necessary intimation reach her through the medium
of a message to the major, announcing his departure for London on
business, and asking if he could be of service to any member of the
family. Having thus removed the only obstacle to his freedom of action,
Allan consulted the time-table, and found, to his disappointment, that
there was a good hour to spare before it would be necessary to drive to
the railway station. In his existing frame of mind he would infinitely
have preferred starting for London in a violent hurry.

When the time came at last, Allan, on passing the steward's office,
drummed at the door, and called through it to Mr. Bashwood, "I'm going
to town; back to-morrow." There was no answer from within; and the
servant, interposing, informed his master that Mr. Bashwood, having no
business to attend to that day, had locked up the office, and had left
some hours since.

On reaching the station, the first person whom Allan encountered was
Pedgift Junior, going to London on the legal business which he had
mentioned on the previous evening at the great house. The necessary
explanations exchanged, and it was decided that the two should travel
in the same carriage. Allan was glad to have a companion; and Pedgift,
enchanted as usual to make himself useful to his client, bustled away
to get the tickets and see to the luggage. Sauntering to and fro on the
platform, until his faithful follower returned, Allan came suddenly upon
no less a person than Mr. Bashwood himself, standing back in a corner
with the guard of the train, and putting a letter (accompanied, to all
appearance, by a fee) privately into the man's hand.

"Halloo!" cried Allan, in his hearty way. "Something important there,
Mr. Bashwood, eh?"

If Mr. Bashwood had been caught in the act of committing murder, he
could hardly have shown greater alarm than he now testified at Allan's
sudden discovery of him. Snatching off his dingy old hat, he bowed
bare-headed, in a palsy of nervous trembling from head to foot. "No,
sir--no, sir; only a little letter, a little letter, a little letter,"
said the deputy-steward, taking refuge in reiteration, and bowing
himself swiftly backward out of his employer's sight.

Allan turned car