ant by this? What purpose on his part did
these words indicate? These questions Mrs. Ray had asked herself, but
had failed to answer them.

But no resolution on Mrs. Ray's part to keep the meeting secret would
have been of avail, even had she made such resolution. The fact would
have fallen from her as easily as water falls from a sieve. Rachel
would have extracted from her the information, had she been ever so
determined not to impart it. As things had turned out she had at once
given Rachel to understand that she had met some one in Exeter whom
she had not expected to meet.

"But, mamma, whom did you see except Mr. Goodall?" Rachel asked. "I
know you saw somebody, and you must tell me."

"That's nonsense, Rachel; you can't know that I saw anybody."

After that there was a pause for some moments, and then Rachel
persisted in her inquiry. "But, mamma, I do know that you met
somebody."--Then there was another pause.--"Mamma, was it Mr. Rowan?"

Mrs. Ray stood convicted at once. Had she not spoken a word, the form
of her countenance when the question was asked would have answered it
with sufficient clearness. But she did speak a word. "Well; yes, it
was Mr. Rowan. He had come down to Exeter on business."

"And what did he say, mamma?"

"He didn't say anything,--at least, nothing particular. It is he that
has bought the cottages, and he had come down from London about that.
He told me that he wanted some ground near Baslehurst, because he
couldn't get the brewery."

"And what else did he say, mamma?"

"I tell you that he said nothing else."

"He didn't--didn't mention me then?"

Mrs. Ray had been looking away from Rachel during this
conversation,--had been purposely looking away from her. But now
there was a tone of agony in her child's voice which forced her to
glance round. Ah me! She beheld so piteous an expression of woe in
Rachel's face that her whole heart was melted within her, and she
began to wish instantly that they might have Rowan back again with
all his faults.

"Tell me the truth, mamma; I may as well know it."

"Well, my dear, he didn't mention your name, but he did say a word
about you."

"What word, mamma?"

"He said he would send no message because it would be no good."

"He said that, did he?"

"Yes, he said that. And so I suppose he meant it would be no good
sending anything till he came himself."

"No, mamma; he didn't mean quite that. I understand what he meant. As
it is to be