ubject of our next proceedings. To put it with my
customary frankness, Mrs. Lecount puzzles me, and I propose to return
the compliment by puzzling her. The course of action which I have to
suggest is a very simple one. I have had the honor of giving you a
severe neuralgic attack already, and I beg your permission (when Mr.
Noel Vanstone sends to inquire to-morrow morning) to take the further
liberty of laying you up altogether. Question from Sea-view Cottage:
'How is Miss Bygrave this morning?' Answer from North Shingles: 'Much
worse: Miss Bygrave is confined to her room.' Question repeated every
day, say for a fortnight: 'How is Miss Bygrave?' Answer repeated,
if necessary, for the same time: 'No better.' Can you bear the
imprisonment? I see no objection to your getting a breath of fresh air
the first thing in the morning, or the last thing at night. But for the
whole of the day, there is no disguising it, you must put yourself in
the same category with Mrs. Wragge--you must keep your room."

"What is your object in wishing me to do this?" inquired Magdalen.

"My object is twofold," replied the captain. "I blush for my own
stupidity; but the fact is, I can't see my way plainly to Mrs. Lecount's
next move. All I feel sure of is, that she means to make another attempt
at opening her master's eyes to the truth. Whatever means she may employ
to discover your identity, personal communication with you _must_ be
necessary to the accomplishment of her object. Very good. If I stop that
communication, I put an obstacle in her way at starting--or, as we say
at cards, I force her hand. Do you see the point?"

Magdalen saw it plainly. The captain went on.

"My second reason for shutting you up," he said, "refers entirely to
Mrs. Lecount's master. The growth of love, my dear girl, is, in
one respect, unlike all other growths--it flourishes under adverse
circumstances. Our first course of action is to make Mr. Noel Vanstone
feel the charm of your society. Our next is to drive him distracted by
the loss of it. I should have proposed a few more meetings, with a view
to furthering this end, but for our present critical position toward
Mrs. Lecount. As it is, we must trust to the effect you produced
yesterday, and try the experiment of a sudden separation rather sooner
than I could have otherwise wished. I shall see Mr. Noel Vanstone,
though you don't; and if there _is_ a raw place established anywhere
about the region of that gentlem