to go down to the dining-room and face Ezra and
his unpleasant-looking companion. Rebecca laid down the tray, and
then, to her mistress's surprise, turned back and shut the door.
The girl's face was very pale, and her manner was wild and excited.

"Here's a note for you," she said. "It was given Mrs. Jorrocks to give
you, but I am better at climbing stairs than she is, so I brought it
up." She handed Kate a little slip of paper as she spoke.

A note for her! Could it be that her friends had arrived and had
managed to send a message to her? It must be so. She took it from the
maid. As she did so she noticed that the other's hands were shaking as
though she had the ague. "You are not well, Rebecca," said Kate kindly.
"Oh yes, I am. You read your note and don't mind me," the girl
answered, in her usual surly fashion. Instead of leaving the room, she
was bustling about the bed as though putting things in order.

Kate's impatience was too great to allow her to wait, so she untwisted
the paper, which had no seal or fastening. She had hoped in her heart
to see the name of her lover at the end of it. Instead of that, her eye
fell upon the signature of Ezra Girdlestone. What could he have to say
to her? She moved the solitary candle on to the mantelpiece, and read
the following note, roughly scribbled upon a coarse piece of paper:--

"MY DEAR MISS HARSTON."

"I am afraid your confinement here has been very irksome to you.
I have repeatedly requested my father to alleviate or modify it,
but he has invariably refused. As he still persists in his
refusal, I wish to offer you my aid, and, to show you that I am
your sincere friend in spite of all that has passed, it you could
slip out to-night at nine o'clock and meet me by the withered oak
at the head of the avenue, I shall see you safe to Bedsworth, and
you can, if you wish, go on to Portsmouth by the next train.
I shall manage so that you may find the door open by that time.
I shall not, of course, go to Portsmouth with you, but shall return
here after dropping you at the station. I do this small thing to
show you that, hopeless as it may be, the affection which I bear
you is still as deep as ever."

"Yours,"

"E. GIRDLESTONE."

Our heroine was so surprised at this epistle that she sat for some time
dangling the slip of paper between her fingers and lost in thought.
When she gl