ng who it could be,
when to my surprise, I found Lionel, the page of Lady R--, dressed in
plain clothes, and certainly looking very much like a gentleman. He
bowed very respectfully to me when he entered, much more so than he had
ever done when he was a page with Lady R--, and said, "Miss Valerie, I
have ventured to call upon you, as I thought when we parted, that you
did me the honour to feel some little interest about me, and I thought
you would like to know what has taken place. I have been in England now
four months, and have not been idle during that time."

"I am certainly glad to see you, Lionel, although I am sorry you have
left Lady R--, and I hope you have been satisfied with the result of
your inquiries."

"It is rather a long story, Miss Valerie, and, if you wish to hear it,
you will oblige me by sitting down while I narrate it to you."

"I hope it will not be too long, Lionel, as I shall be wanted in an hour
or so, to go out with Lady M--, but I am ready to hear you," continued
I, sitting down as he requested.

Lionel stood by me, and then commenced--"We arrived at Dover the evening
of the day that we left, Miss Valerie; and Lady R--, who had been in a
state of great agitation during the journey, was so unwell, that she
remained there four or five days. As soon as she was better, I thought
it was advisable that she should settle my book, and pay me my wages
before we left England, and I brought it to her, stating my wish, as the
sum was then very large.

"`And what do you want money for?' said she, rather angrily.

"`I want to place it in safety, my lady,' replied I.

"`That's as much as to say that it is not safe with me.'

"`No, my lady,' replied I. `But suppose any accident were to happen to
you abroad, would your executors ever believe that you owed more than 25
pounds, besides a year's wages to a page like me; they would say that it
could not be, and would not pay me my money; neither would they believe
that you gave me such wages.'

"`Well,' she replied, `there is some truth in that, and it will,
perhaps, be better that I do pay you at once, but where will you put the
money, Lionel?'

"`I will keep the check, my lady, if you please.'

"`Then I will write it to order and not to bearer,' replied she, `and
then if you lose it, it will not be paid, for it will require your own
signature.'

"`Thank you, my lady,' replied I.

"Having examined my accounts and my wages due, she gave me a c