ad known what I
know. Anne Catherick was right. There was a third person watching us
in the plantation yesterday, and that third person---"

"Are you sure it was the Count?"

"I am absolutely certain. He was Sir Percival's spy--he was Sir
Percival's informer--he set Sir Percival watching and waiting, all the
morning through, for Anne Catherick and for me."

"Is Anne found? Did you see her at the lake?"

"No. She has saved herself by keeping away from the place. When I got
to the boat-house no one was there."

"Yes? Yes?"

"I went in and sat waiting for a few minutes. But my restlessness made
me get up again, to walk about a little. As I passed out I saw some
marks on the sand, close under the front of the boat-house. I stooped
down to examine them, and discovered a word written in large letters on
the sand. The word was--LOOK."

"And you scraped away the sand, and dug a hollow place in it?"

"How do you know that, Marian?"

"I saw the hollow place myself when I followed you to the boat-house.
Go on--go on!"

"Yes, I scraped away the sand on the surface, and in a little while I
came to a strip of paper hidden beneath, which had writing on it. The
writing was signed with Anne Catherick's initials."

"Where is it?"

"Sir Percival has taken it from me."

"Can you remember what the writing was? Do you think you can repeat it
to me?"

"In substance I can, Marian. It was very short. You would have
remembered it, word for word."

"Try to tell me what the substance was before we go any further."

She complied. I write the lines down here exactly as she repeated them
to me. They ran thus--

"I was seen with you, yesterday, by a tall, stout old man, and had to
run to save myself. He was not quick enough on his feet to follow me,
and he lost me among the trees. I dare not risk coming back here
to-day at the same time. I write this, and hide it in the sand, at six
in the morning, to tell you so. When we speak next of your wicked
husband's Secret we must speak safely, or not at all. Try to have
patience. I promise you shall see me again and that soon.--A. C."

The reference to the "tall, stout old man" (the terms of which Laura
was certain that she had repeated to me correctly) left no doubt as to
who the intruder had been. I called to mind that I had told Sir
Percival, in the Count's presence the day before, that Laura had gone
to the boat-house to look for her brooch. In all probabi