a lady of your years and experience seriously repeat
such nonsense? This girl boasts and threatens. She will do this; she
will do that. You have her confidence, ma'am. Tell me, if you please, in
plain words, what can she do?"

Sharply as the taunt was pointed, it glanced off harmless. Mrs.
Lecount had planted her sting once too often. Magdalen rose in complete
possession of her assumed character and composedly terminated the
interview. Ignorant as she was of what had happened behind her chair,
she saw a change in Mrs. Lecount's look and manner which warned her to
run no more risks, and to trust herself no longer in the house.

"I am not in my pupil's confidence," she said. "Her own acts will answer
your question when the time comes. I can only tell you, from my own
knowledge of her, that she is no boaster. What she wrote to Mr. Michael
Vanstone was what she was prepared to do---what, I have reason to think,
she was actually on the point of doing, when her plans were overthrown
by his death. Mr. Michael Vanstone's son has only to persist in
following his father's course to find, before long, that I am not
mistaken in my pupil, and that I have not come here to intimidate him
by empty threats. My errand is done. I leave Mr. Noel Vanstone with two
alternatives to choose from. I leave him to share Mr. Andrew Vanstone's
fortune with Mr. Andrew Vanstone's daughters--or to persist in his
present refusal and face the consequences." She bowed, and walked to the
door.

Noel Vanstone started to his feet, with anger and alarm struggling which
should express itself first in his blank white face. Before he could
open his lips, Mrs. Lecount's plump hands descended on his shoulders,
put him softly back in his chair, and restored the plate of strawberries
to its former position on his lap.

"Refresh yourself, Mr. Noel, with a few more strawberries," she said,
"and leave Miss Garth to me."

She followed Magdalen into the passage, and closed the door of the room
after her.

"Are you residing in London, ma'am?" asked Mrs. Lecount.

"No," replied Magdalen. "I reside in the country."

"If I want to write to you, where can I address my letter?"

"To the post-office, Birmingham," said Magdalen, mentioning the place
which she had last left, and at which all letters were still addressed
to her.

Mrs. Lecount repeated the direction to fix it in her memory, advanced
two steps in the passage, and quietly laid her right hand on Magdalen's