ot mention
the fact that I have received this telegram."

There was nothing more to be said, and Trevor walked across the room to
the piano. He and Kitty both had good voices, and they sang some duets
together.

During the night which followed Bertha slept but little. Again and again
she took up Florence's telegram and looked at it. She would be at
Hamslade, the nearest station to Aylmer's Court, between nine and ten
o'clock. Bertha resolved, come what would, to meet her at the station.

"Whatever happens, she must not come here," thought Bertha; "but how am
I to get to the station, so early too, just when Mrs. Aylmer wants me
for a hundred things? Stay, though: I have an idea."

CHAPTER XXXI.

BERTHA WRITES THE ESSAY.

Bertha got up early next morning to act upon the idea that had occurred
to her on the previous evening. She ran downstairs and had a private
interview with the cook. It was Mrs. Aylmer's custom, no matter what
guests were present, to breakfast in her room, and immediately after
breakfast Bertha, as a rule, waited on her to receive her orders for the
day. These orders were then conveyed to the cook and to the rest of the
servants.

Breakfast was never over at Aylmer's Court until long past nine o'clock,
and if Bertha wished to keep Florence from putting in a most undesired
appearance, she must be at Hamslade Station at half-past nine. She had a
chat with the cook and then wrote a brief note to Mrs. Aylmer. It ran as
follows:--

"I am going in the dogcart to Hamslade. Have just ascertained that the
pheasants we intended to have for dinner to-day are not forthcoming.
Will wire for some to town, and also for peaches. I will leave a line
with Kitty Sharston to take the head of the table at breakfast."

"She will be awfully cross about it all," thought Bertha, "and, of
course, it is a lie, for there is plenty of game in the larder, and we
have an abundant supply of peaches and apricots, but any port in a
storm, and cook will not betray me."

The dogcart was round at the door sharp at nine o'clock, and Bertha,
having sent up a twisted bit of paper to Kitty's bed-room, asking her to
pour out coffee, started on her way. She reached the station a little
before the train came in, and sent the necessary telegrams to the shops
in London with which they constantly dealt.

A large party was expected to dine at Aylmer's Court that night, which
was Bertha's excuse for ordering the fruit and game. Th