is it not? Lucky I kept that. Now, the thing will be to
communicate with Madeira, and see if he is still there. I can easily
do that; I know a man there."

"Have you formed any plan, then?"

"Yes," answered Sir John, with great deliberation, "I think I see my
way; but I must have time to think of it. I will speak to you about it
to-morrow."

When Lady Bellamy had gone, the little man rose, peeped round to see
that nobody was within hearing, and then, rubbing his dry hands with
infinite zest, said aloud, in a voice that was quite solemn in the
intensity of its satisfaction,

"The Lord hath delivered mine enemies into mine hand."

CHAPTER XL

Two days after Sir John had been taken into confidence, Philip
received a visit from Lady Bellamy that caused him a good deal of
discomfort. After talking to him on general subjects for awhile, she
rose to go.

"By the way, Mr. Caresfoot," she said, "I really had almost forgotten
the object of my visit. You may remember a conversation we had
together some time ago, when I was the means of paying a debt owing to
you?"

Philip nodded.

"Then you will not have forgotten that one of the articles of our
little verbal convention was, that if it should be considered to the
interest of all the parties concerned, your daughter's old nurse was
not to remain in your house?"

"I remember."

"Well, do you know, I cannot help thinking that it must be a bad thing
for Angela to have so much of the society of an ill-educated and not
very refined person like Pigott. I really advise you to get rid of
her."

"She has been with me for twenty years, and my daughter is devoted to
her. I can't turn her off."

"It is always painful to dismiss an old servant--almost as bad as
discarding an old dress; but when a dress is worn out it must be
thrown away. Surely the same applies to servants."

"I don't see how I am to send her away."

"I can quite understand your feelings; but then, you see, an agreement
implies obligations on both sides, doesn't it? especially an agreement
'for value received,' as the lawyers say."

Philip winced perceptibly.

"I wish I had never had anything to do with your agreements."

"Oh! if you think it over, I don't think that you will say so. Well,
that is settled. I suppose she will go pretty soon. I am glad to see
you looking so well--very different from your cousin, I assure you. I
don't think much of his state of health. G