for me, Mr. Purvis? Will you pardon my impatience--"

"Yes, to be sure. I 've a letter, and an enclosure in it, too; at least,
it feels crisp like a note, a bank-note; that 's the reason you 're
impatient. Perhaps the re-reremittance was long a-coming, eh?"

Kate made no reply to this speech, but her cheek grew scarlet as she
heard it.

Purvis, meanwhile, spread his packet of papers before him, and began his
search for Dalton's letter.

"No, that ain't it; that's from Foglass, all about Norwood, and his
N-N-Newmarket affair. That 's a letter from Lord Gullston's valet, with
such a droll ac-account of the whole family. Zoe recom-mended him; and
the poor fellow 's very grateful, for he writes about all that goes on
in the house. Lady G., it seems, has the temper of a f-f-fiend. Well,
don't be im-impatient; I'll find your father's letter in a minute. He
writes such a cr-cr-cramp old hand, one should detect it at once. I
ta-take it that he 's a bit of a character, the old gen-gentleman. I 'm
sure he is; but what have I done with his letter? Oh, here it is! here
it is! and 'with haste' written on the corner, too."

Kate caught the letter impatiently, and, without any thought for Purvis
or the place, tore it open at once. In doing so, the enclosure fell to
the ground without her perceiving it; and, stranger still, it escaped
the attention of Purvis; but that worthy man, not exactly venturing
to read over her shoulder, had established himself directly in front,
where, with his double eye-glass, he scanned every change in her
features during the perusal.

"All well at home, I hope, eh? How she changes color," muttered he to
himself. "Nobody ill; nobody dead, eh?" asked he, louder. "It must be
something serious, though; she 's trembling like ague. Let me give you
a chair, that is, if I can f-find one in this little den; they 've got
nothing but d-divans all round it." And he hurried forth into the larger
salon in search of a seat.

It was not without considerable trouble to himself and inconvenience to
various others that he at last succeeded, and returned to the boudoir
with a massive arm-chair in his hands. But what was his dismay to find
that Miss Dalton had made her escape in the mean while? In vain did
he seek her through the salons, which now were rapidly thinning; the
distinguished guests having already departed.

A stray group lingered here and there, conversing in a low tone; and
around the fires were gathered