, Mr. Halifax. Once I spent a summer here, with
an old pupil, now grown up. I am going to-day to inquire about her at
the Mythe House. The Brithwoods came home yesterday."

I was afraid to look at John. Even to me the news was startling. How I
blessed Mrs. Jessop's innocent garrulousness.

"I hope they will remain here some time. I have a special interest in
their stay. Not on Lady Caroline's account, though. She patronizes me
very kindly; but I doubt if she ever forgets--what Tom says I am rather
too proud of remembering--that I was the poor governess, Jane Cardigan."

"Jane Cardigan!" I exclaimed.

"What, Mr. Fletcher, you know my name! And really, now I think of it,
I believe I have heard yours. Not from Tom, either. It couldn't
possibly be--Yes! it certainly was--How strange! Did you ever hear
tell of a Miss Ursula March?"

The live crimson rushed madly over John's face. Mrs. Jessop saw it;
she could not but see. At first she looked astounded, then exceedingly
grave.

I replied, "that we had had the honour of meeting Miss March last
summer at Enderley."

"Yes," the old lady continued, somewhat formally. "Now I recollect,
Miss March told me of the circumstance; of two gentlemen there, who
were very kind to her when her father died; a Mr. Fletcher and his
friend--was that Mr. Halifax?"

"It was," I answered: for John was speechless. Alas! I saw at once
that all my hopes for him, all the design of my long silence on this
subject, had been in vain. No, he had not forgotten her. It was not
in his nature to forget.

Mrs. Jessop went on, still addressing herself to me.

"I am sure I ought, on behalf of my dear pupil, to offer you both my
warmest thanks. Hers was a most trying position. She never told me of
it till afterwards, poor child! I am thankful her trouble was softened
to her by finding that STRANGERS" (was it only my fancy that detected a
slight stress on the word?) "mere strangers could be at once so
thoughtful and so kind."

"No one could be otherwise to Miss March. Is she well? Has she
recovered from her trial?"

"I hope so. Happily, few sorrows, few feelings of any kind, take
lasting hold at eighteen. She is a noble girl. She did her duty, and
it was no light one, to him who is gone; now her life begins anew. It
is sure to be prosperous--I trust it may be very happy.--Now I must bid
you both good-bye."

She stopped at the gates of the Mythe House; great iron gates, a