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difficulty about that。 There are such places to be found now and
then in old houses。 But； indeed； if you will excuse me； I do not
consider your testimony； on every minute particular； quite
satisfactory。〃
〃Why？〃 asked Hugh； rather offended。
〃First； because of the state of excitement you must have been in；
and next； because I doubt the wine that was left in your room。 The
count no doubt knew enough of drugs to put a few ghostly horrors
into the decanter。 But poor Miss Cameron！ The horrors he has put
into her mind and life！ It is a sad fateall but a sentence of
insanity。〃
Hugh sprang to his feet。
〃By heaven！〃 he cried； 〃I will strangle the knave。〃
〃Stop； stop！〃 said Falconer。 〃No revenge！ Leave him to the sleeping
divinity within him； which will awake one day； and complete the hell
that he is now building for himselffor the very fire of hell is
the divine in it。 Your work is to set Euphra free。 If you did
strangle him； how do you know if that would free her from him？〃
〃Horrible！Have you no news of him？〃
〃None whatever。〃
〃What； then； can I do for her？〃
〃You must teach her to foil him。〃
〃How am I to do that？ Even if I knew how； I cannot see her； I
cannot speak to her。〃
〃I have a great faith in opportunity。〃
〃But how should she foil him？〃
〃She must pray to God to redeem her fettered willto strengthen her
will to redeem herself。 She must resist the count； should he again
claim her submission （as； for her sake； I hope he will）； as she
would the devil himself。 She must overcome。 Then she will be
freenot before。 This will be very hard to do。 His power has been
excessive and peculiar； and her submission long and complete。 Even
if he left her alone； she would not therefore be free。 She must
defy him； break his bonds； oppose his will； assert her freedom； and
defeat him utterly。〃
〃Oh！ who will help her？ I have no power。 Even if I were with her；
I could not help her in such a struggle。 I wish David were not
dead。 He was the man。You could now； Mr。 Falconer。〃
〃No。 Except I knew her； had known her for some time； and had a
strong hold of all her nature； I could not； would not try to help
her。 If Providence brought this about； I would do my best； but
otherwise I would not interfere。 But if she pray to God； he will
give her whatever help she needs； and in the best way； too。〃
〃I think it would be some comfort to her if we could find the
ringthe crystal； I mean。〃
〃It would be more； I think； if we could find the diamond。〃
〃How can we find either？〃
〃We must find the count first。 I have not given that up； of course。
I will tell you what I should like to do； if I knew the lady。〃
〃What？〃
〃Get her to come to London； and make herself as public as possible：
go to operas and balls； and theatres； be presented at court； take a
stall at every bazaar； and sell charity puff…ballsget as much into
the papers as possible。 'The lovely； accomplished； fascinating Miss
Cameron； &c。； &c。'〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃I will tell you what I mean。 The count has forsaken her now； but
as soon as he heard that she was somebody； that she was followed and
admired； his vanity would be roused； his old sense of property in
her would revive； and he would begin once more to draw her into his
toils。 What the result would be； it is impossible to foretell； but
it would at least give us a chance of catching him； and her a chance
of resisting him。〃
〃I don't think； however； that she would venture on that course
herself。 I should not dare to propose it to her。〃
〃No； no。 It was only an invention； to deceive myself with the fancy
that I was doing something。 There would be many objections to such
a plan； even if it were practicable。 I must still try to find him；
and if fresh endeavours should fail； devise fresher still。〃
〃Thank you a thousand times；〃 said Hugh。 〃It is too good of you to
take so much trouble。〃
〃It is my business；〃 answered Falconer。 〃Is there not a soul in
trouble？〃
Hugh went home； full of his new friend。 With the clue he had given
him； he was able to follow all the windings of Euphra's behaviour；
and to account for almost everything that had taken place。 It was
quite painful to him to feel that he could be of no immediate
service to her； but he could hardly doubt that； before long；
Falconer would； in his wisdom and experience； excogitate some mode
of procedure in which he might be able to take a part。
He sat down to his novel； which had been making but little progress
for some time； for it is hard to write a novel when one is living in
the midst of a romance。 But the romance； at this time； was not very
close to him。 It had a past and a possible future； but no present。
That same future； however； might at any moment dawn into the
present。
In the meantime； teaching the Latin grammar and the English alphabet
to young aspirants after the honours of the ministry； was not work
inimical to invention； from either the exhaustion of its excitement
or the absorption of its interest。
CHAPTER XIII。
THE LADY'S…MAID。
Her yellow hair； beyond compare；
Comes trinkling down her swan…white neck；
And her two eyes； like stars in skies；
Would keep a sinking ship frae wreck。
Oh！ Mally's meek； Mally's sweet；
Mally's modest and discreet；
Mally's rare； Mally's fair；
Mally's every way complete。
BURNS。
What arms for innocence but innocence。
GILES FLETCHER。
Margaret had sought Euphra's room； with the intention of restoring
to her the letter which she had written to David Elginbrod。 Janet
had let it lie for some time before she sent it to Margaret； and
Euphra had given up all expectation of an answer。
Hopes of ministration filled Margaret's heart； but she expected；
from what she knew of her； that anger would be Miss Cameron's first
feeling。 Therefore； when she heard no answer to her application for
admission； and had concluded； in consequence； that Euphra was not in
the room； she resolved to leave the letter where it would meet her
eye； and thus prepare the way for a future conversation。 When she
saw Euphra and Harry； she would have retired immediately； but
Euphra； annoyed by her entrance； was now quite able to speak。
〃What do you want？〃 she said angrily。
〃This is your letter； Miss Cameron； is it not？〃 said Margaret；
advancing with it in her hand。
Euphra took it； glanced at the direction； pushed Harry away from
her； started up in a passion； and let loose the whole gathered
irritability of contempt； weariness； disappointment； and suffering；
upon Margaret。 Her dark eyes flashed with rage； and her sallow
cheek glowed like a peach。
〃What right have you； pray； to handle my letters？ How did you get
this？ It has never been posted！ And open； too。 I declare！ I
suppose you have read it？〃
Margaret was afraid of exciting more wrath before she had an
opportunity of explaining； but Euphra gave her no time to think of a
reply。
〃You have read it； you shameless woman！ Why don't you lie； like the
rest of your tribe； and keep me from dying with indignation？
Impudent prying！ My maid never posted it； and you have found it
and read it！ Pray； did you hope to find a secret worth a bribe？〃
She advanced on Margaret till within a foot of her。
〃Why don't you answer； you hussy？ I will go this instant to your
mistress。 You or I leave the house。〃
Margaret had stood all this time quietly； waiting for an opportunity
to speak。 Her face was very pale； but perfectly still； and her eyes
did not quail。 She had not in the least lost her self…possession。
She would not say at once that she had read the letter； because
that would instantly rouse the tornado again。
〃You do not know my name； Miss Cameron； of course you could not。〃
〃Your name！ What is that to me？〃
〃That；〃 said Margaret； pointing to the letter； 〃is my father's
name。〃
Euphra looked at her own direction again； and then looked at
Margaret。 She was so bewildered； that if she had any thoughts； she
did not know them。 Margaret went on：
〃My father is dead。 My mother sent the letter to me。〃
〃Then you have had the impertinence to read it！〃
〃It was my duty to read it。〃
〃Duty！ What business had you with it？〃
Euphra felt ashamed of the letter as soon as she found that she had
applied to a man whose daughter was a servant。 Margaret answered：
〃I could at least reply to it so far； that the writer should not
think my father had neglected it。 I did not know who it was from
till I came to the end。〃
Euphra turned her back on her； with the words：
〃You may go。〃
Margaret walked out of the room with an unconscious stately
gentleness。
〃Come back；〃 cried Euphra。
Margaret obeyed。
〃Of course you will tell all your fellow…servants the contents of
this foolish letter。〃
Margaret's face flushed； and her eye flashed； at the first words of
this speech； but the last words made her forget the first； and to
them only she replied。 Clasping。 her hands； she said：
〃Dear Miss Cameron； do not call it foolish。 For God's sake； do not
call it foolish。〃
〃What is it to you？ Do you think I am going to make a confidante of
you？〃
Margaret again left the room。 Notwithstanding