been compelled
to follow in the footsteps of his ingenious friend. In the matter of the
lady's maid he claimed his fitting position at last--he followed nobody;
he took the lead!

The forenoon of the next day was devoted to obtaining the license--the
personal distinction of making the declaration on oath being eagerly
accepted by Noel Vanstone, who swore, in perfect good faith (on
information previously obtained from the captain) that the lady was
of age. The document procured, the bridegroom returned to examine the
characters and qualifications of the women-servants out of the place
whom the landlady had engaged to summon to the hotel, while Captain
Wragge turned his steps, "on business personal to himself," toward the
residence of a friend in a distant quarter of London.

The captain's friend was connected with the law, and the captain's
business was of a twofold nature. His first object was to inform himself
of the legal bearings of the approaching marriage on the future of the
husband and the wife. His second object was to provide beforehand
for destroying all traces of the destination to which he might betake
himself when he left Aldborough on the wedding-day. Having reached his
end successfully in both these cases, he returned to the hotel, and
found Noel Vanstone nursing his offended dignity in the landlady's
sitting-room. Three ladies' maids had appeared to pass their
examination, and had all, on coming to the question of wages, impudently
declined accepting the place. A fourth candidate was expected to present
herself on the next day; and, until she made her appearance, Noel
Vanstone positively declined removing from the metropolis. Captain
Wragge showed his annoyance openly at the unnecessary delay thus
occasioned in the return to Aldborough, but without producing any
effect. Noel Vanstone shook his obstinate little head, and solemnly
refused to trifle with his responsibilities.

The first event which occurred on Saturday morning was the arrival of
Mrs. Lecount's letter to her master, inclosed in one of the envelopes
which the captain had addressed to himself. He received it (by previous
arrangement with the waiter) in his bedroom--read it with the closest
attention--and put it away carefully in his pocketbook. The letter
was ominous of serious events to come when the housekeeper returned to
England; and it was due to Magdalen--who was the person threatened--to
place the warning of danger in her own posses