e
unexpected little tale wrung out of Mr. Stixon. That promise had been
given without any thought, in my eagerness to hear every thing, and
probably some people would have thought of it no more. But the trusty
butler was so scared when I asked him to release me from it, so penitent
also at his own indiscretion, which never would have overcome him (as he
said in the morning) only for the thunder-storm, that instead of getting
off, I was quite obliged to renew and confirm my assurances.

Therefore, in truth, I had no chance left but to go back to Shoxford and
do my best, meeting all dark perils with the shield of right spread over
me. And a great thing now in my favor was to feel some confidence again
in the guidance of kind Wisdom. The sense of this never had abandoned me
so much as to make me miserable about it; but still I had never tried to
shelter under it, and stay there faithfully, as the best of people
do. And even now I was not brought to such a happy attitude, although
delivered by these little gleams of light from the dark void of
fatalism, into which so many bitter blows had once been driving me.

However, before setting off again, I made one more attempt upon Lord
Castlewood, longing to know whether his suspicions would help me at
all to identify the figure which had frightened both the sexton and the
butler. That the person was one and the same, I did not for a moment
call in question, any more than I doubted that he was the man upon
whose head rested the blood of us. But why he should be allowed to go
scot-free while another bore his brand, and many others died for him,
and why all my most just and righteous efforts to discover him should
receive, if not discouragement, at any rate most lukewarm aid--these and
several other questions were as dark as ever.

"You must not return to Shoxford, my cousin," Lord Castlewood said to
me that day, after a plain though courteous refusal to enlighten me even
with a mere surmise, except upon the condition before rejected. "I can
not allow you to be there without strict supervision and protection. You
will not, perhaps, be aware of it, as perhaps you have not been before;
but a careful watch will be kept on you. I merely tell you this that you
may not make mistakes, and confound friendly vigilance with the spying
of an enemy. Erema, you will be looked after."

I could not help being grateful for his kindness, and really, try as I
might to be fearless, it would be a gr