."

"On the contrary," replied Magdalen, "you have exactly expressed my
meaning. My object in coming here is to warn Mr. Noel Vanstone against
the course which he is now taking."

"Don't!" pleaded Mrs. Lecount. "Oh, if you want to help these poor
girls, don't talk in that way! Soften his resolution, ma'am, by
entreaties; don't strengthen it by threats!" She a little overstrained
the tone of humility in which she spoke those words--a little overacted
the look of apprehension which accompanied them. If Magdalen had not
seen plainly enough already that it was Mrs. Lecount's habitual practice
to decide everything for her master in the first instance, and then to
persuade him that he was not acting under his housekeeper's resolution
but under his own, she would have seen it now.

"You hear what Lecount has just said?" remarked Noel Vanstone. "You hear
the unsolicited testimony of a person who has known me from childhood?
Take care, Miss Garth--take care!" He complacently arranged the tails
of his white dressing-gown over his knees and took the plate of
strawberries back on his lap.

"I have no wish to offend you," said Magdalen. "I am only anxious to
open your eyes to the truth. You are not acquainted with the characters
of the two sisters whose fortunes have fallen into your possession. I
have known them from childhood; and I come to give you the benefit of
my experience in their interests and in yours. You have nothing to dread
from the elder of the two; she patiently accepts the hard lot which you,
and your father before you, have forced on her. The younger sister's
conduct is the very opposite of this. She has already declined to submit
to your father's decision, and she now refuses to be silenced by Mrs.
Lecount's letter. Take my word for it, she is capable of giving you
serious trouble if you persist in making an enemy of her."

Noel Vanstone changed color once more, and began to fidget again in his
chair. "Serious trouble," he repeated, with a blank look. "If you mean
writing letters, ma'am, she has given trouble enough already. She has
written once to me, and twice to my father. One of the letters to my
father was a threatening letter--wasn't it, Lecount?"

"She expressed her feelings, poor child," said Mrs. Lecount. "I thought
it hard to send her back her letter, but your dear father knew best.
What I said at the time was, Why not let her express her feelings? What
are a few threatening words, after all? In he