tion do I find myself
placed! Never before have I felt so interested in trying to look into
a person's secret mind; and never before have I been so completely
baffled.

I had written as far as this, and was on the point of closing my
Journal, when a third note arrived from Mrs. Tenbruggen.

She had been thinking about me at intervals (she wrote) all through the
rest of the day; and, kindly as I had received her, she was conscious
of being the object of doubts on my part which her visit had failed to
remove. Might she ask leave to call on me, in the hope of improving her
position in my estimation? An appointment followed for the next day.

What can she have to say to me which she has not already said? Is it
anything about Philip, I wonder?

CHAPTER LIV. HELENA'S DIARY RESUMED.

At our interview of the next day, Mrs. Tenbruggen's capacity for
self-reform appeared under a new aspect. She dropped all familiarity
with me, and she stated the object of her visit without a superfluous
word of explanation or apology.

I thought this a remarkable effort for a woman; and I recognized the
merit of it by leaving the lion's share of the talk to my visitor. In
these terms she opened her business with me:

"Has Mr. Philip Dunboyne told you why he went to London?"

"He made a commonplace excuse," I answered. "Business, he said, took him
to London. I know no more."

"You have a fair prospect of happiness, Miss Helena, when you are
married--your future husband is evidently afraid of you. I am not afraid
of you; and I shall confide to your private ear something which you have
an interest in knowing. The business which took young Mr. Dunboyne
to London was to consult a competent person, on a matter concerning
himself. The competent person is the sagacious (not to say sly) old
gentleman--whom we used to call the Governor. You know him, I believe?"

"Yes. But I am at a loss to imagine why Philip should have consulted
him."

"Have you ever heard or read, Miss Helena, of such a thing as 'an old
man's fancy'?"

"I think I have."

"Well, the Governor has taken an old man's fancy to your sister.
They appeared to understand each other perfectly when I was at the
farmhouse."

"Excuse me, Mrs. Tenbruggen, that is what I know already. Why did Philip
go to the Governor?"

She smiled. "If anybody is acquainted with the true state of your
sister's feelings, the Governor is the man. I sent Mr. Dunboyne to
consult him--and there is