ow his address. You
will receive this, I hope and believe, before R. T. can return to
Somersetshire. Telegraph back, I entreat you, to say that you are safe.
I shall follow my message if I do not hear from you in reasonable time."

Miss Lavinia lifted her gray head, and looked at her niece. "Is this
true?" she said--and pointed to the venerable face laid back, white, on
the white pillow of the bed. Natalie sank forward as her eyes met the
eyes of her aunt. Miss Lavinia saved her from falling insensible on the
floor.

* * * * * * * * *

The confession had been made. The words of penitence and the words of
pardon had been spoken. The peaceful face of the father still lay hushed
in rest. One by one the minutes succeeded each other uneventfully in the
deep tranquillity of the night. It was almost a relief when the silence
was disturbed once more by another sound outside the house. A pebble
was thrown up at the window, and a voice called out cautiously, "Miss
Lavinia!"

They recognized the voice of the man-servant, and at once opened the
window.

He had something to say to the ladies in private. How could he say it?
A domestic circumstance which had been marked by Launce, as favorable
to the contemplated elopement, was now noticed by the servant as lending
itself readily to effecting the necessary communication with the ladies.
The lock of the gardener's tool-house (in the shrubbery close by) was
under repair; and the gardener's ladder was accessible to any one who
wanted it. At the short height of the balcony from the ground, the
ladder was more than long enough for the purpose required. In a few
minutes the servant had mounted to the balcony, and could speak to
Natalie and her aunt at the window.

"I can't rest quiet," said the man, "I'm off on the sly to see what's
going on down in the village. It's hard on ladies like you to be locked
in here. Is there anything I can do for either of you?"

Natalie took up Lady Winwood's telegram. "Launce ought to see this,"
she said to her aunt. "He will be here at daybreak," she added, in a
whisper, "if I don't tell him what has happened."

Miss Lavinia turned pale. "If he and Richard meet--" she began. "Tell
him!" she added, hurriedly--"tell him before it is too late!"

Natalie wrote a few lines (addressed to Launce in his assumed name at
his lodgings in the village) inclosing Lady Winwood's telegram, and
entreating him to do nothing rash. When the servant had disappeared w