ts.
I imagined you had not, and supposed that, as he was only engaged as a
librarian, inquiries as to his character were not considered necessary.
But when I saw that he was being admitted as a member of your household,
and specially allowed to exercise an influence on Percy, I assure you I
felt uncomfortable, and it has been on my mind ever since to tell you
what I feel you ought to know. Jeffreys ran away from school after
committing a cruel act which, to all intents and purposes, was murder.
His victim was a small boy whom we all loved, and who never did him
harm. The details of the whole affair are too horrible to dwell upon
here, but I have said enough to show you what sort of person it is who
is at present entrusted with the care of your own son, and allowed to
associate on a footing of equality with your niece, Miss Atherton. I
can assure you it is very painful to me to write this, for I know how it
will shock you. But I feel my conscience would not give me peace till I
told you all. May I now ask one special favour from you? It is well
known, and you probably have noticed it yourself, that Jeffreys and I
naturally dislike one another. But I want you to believe that I write
this, not because I dislike Jeffreys, but because I like you all, and
feel that Percy particularly is in peril. What I ask is that if you
think it right to take any action in the matter, my name may not be
mentioned. It would be considered an act of spite on my part, which it
is not; and perhaps I may mention to you that I have special reasons for
wishing that Miss Atherton, at least, should not think worse of me than
I deserve. She would certainly misunderstand it if my name were
mentioned. I feel I have only done my duty, and I assure you it will be
a great relief to me to know that you are rid of one who cannot fail to
exercise a fatal influence on the pure and honest mind of my friend
Percy.

"Believe me, dear Mrs Rimbolt, most sincerely yours,--

"E. Scarfe."

The shock which this astounding communication gave to Mrs Rimbolt can
be more easily imagined than described. It explained everything--her
instinctive dislike of the man from the first, his moroseness and
insolence, and the cunning with which he had insinuated himself first
into her husband's and then into Percy's confidence! How blind she had
been not to see it all before! She might have known that he was a
villain! Now, however, her duty was clear, and she would