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〃You are mistaken； Allan。 I have heard more of what has happened
than you suppose。〃
〃What！ the dreadful mess I'm in with Miss Gwilt？ the row with the
major？ the infernal scandal…mongering in the neighborhood？ You
don't mean to say？〃
〃Yes；〃 interposed Midwinter； quietly； 〃I have heard of it all。〃
〃Good heavens！ how？ Did you stop at Thorpe Ambrose on your way
back？ Have you been in the coffee…room at the hotel？ Have you met
Pedgift？ Have you dropped into the Reading Rooms； and seen what
they call the freedom of the press in the town newspaper？〃
Midwinter paused before he answered； and looked up at the sky。
The clouds had been gathering unnoticed over their heads； and the
first rain…drops were beginning to fall。
〃Come in here；〃 said Allan。 〃We'll go up to breakfast this way。 〃
He led Midwinter through the open French window into his own
sitting…room。 The wind blew toward that side of the house； and
the rain followed them in。 Midwinter； who was last； turned and
closed the window。
Allan was too eager for the answer which the weather had
interrupted to wait for it till they reached the breakfast…room。
He stopped close at the window； and added two more to his string
of questions。
〃How can you possibly have heard about me and Miss Gwilt？〃 he
asked。 〃Who told you？〃
〃Miss Gwilt herself；〃 replied Midwinter； gravely。
Allan's manner changed the moment the governess's name passed his
friend's lips。
〃I wish you had heard my story first；〃 he said。 〃Where did you
meet with Miss Gwilt？〃
There was a momentary pause。 They both stood still at the window；
absorbed in the interest of the moment。 They both forgot that
their contemplated place of shelter from the rain had been the
breakfast…room upstairs。
〃Before I answer your question；〃 said Midwinter； a little
constrainedly； 〃I want to ask you something； Allan； on my side。
Is it really true that you are in some way concerned in Miss
Gwilt's leaving Major Milroy's service？〃
There was another pause。 The disturbance which had begun to
appear in Allan's manner palpably increased。
〃It's rather a long story；〃 he began。 〃I have been taken in；
Midwinter。 I've been imposed on by a person； whoI can't help
saying itwho cheated me into promising what I oughtn't to have
promised； and doing what I had better not have done。 It isn't
breaking my promise to tell you。 I can trust in your discretion；
can't I？ You will never say a word； will you？〃
〃Stop！〃 said Midwinter。 〃Don't trust me with any secrets which
are not your own。 If you have given a promise； don't trifle with
it； even in speaking to such an intimate friend as I am。〃 He laid
his hand gently and kindly on Allan's shoulder。 〃I can't help
seeing that I have made you a little uncomfortable；〃 he went on。
〃I can't help seeing that my question is not so easy a one to
answer as I had hoped and supposed。 Shall we wait a little？ Shall
we go upstairs and breakfast first？〃
Allan was far too earnestly bent on presenting his conduct to his
friend in the right aspect to heed Midwinter's suggestion。 He
spoke eagerly on the instant； without moving from the window。
〃My dear fellow； it's a perfectly easy question to answer。
Only〃he hesitated〃only it requires what I'm a bad hand at： it
requires an explanation。〃
〃Do you mean；〃 asked Midwinter； more seriously； but not less
gently than before； 〃that you must first justify yourself； and
then answer my question？〃
〃That's it！〃 said Allan； with an air of relief。 〃You're hit the
right nail on the head； just as usual。〃
Midwinter's face darkened for the first time。 〃I am sorry to hear
it；〃 he said； his voice sinking low； and his eyes dropping to the
ground as he spoke。
The rain was beginning to fall thickly。 It swept across the
garden； straight on the closed windows； and pattered heavily
against the glass。
〃Sorry！〃 repeated Allan。 〃My dear fellow； you haven't heard the
particulars yet。 Wait till I explain the thing first。〃
〃You are a bad hand at explanations；〃 said Midwinter； repeating
Allan's own words。 〃Don't place yourself at a disadvantage。 Don't
explain it。〃
Allan looked at him； in silent perplexity and surprise。
〃You are my friendmy best and dearest friend；〃 Midwinter went
on。 〃I can't bear to let you justify yourself to me as if I was
your judge； or as if I doubted you。〃 He looked up again at Allan
frankly and kindly as he said those words。 〃Besides；〃 he resumed；
〃I think； if I look into my memory； I can anticipate your
explanation。 We had a moment's talk； before I went away； about
some very delicate questions which you proposed putting to Major
Milroy。 I remember I warned you； I remember I had my misgivings。
Should I be guessing right if I guessed that those questions have
been in some way the means of leading you into a false position？
If it is true that you have been concerned in Miss Gwilt's
leaving her situation； is it also trueis it only doing you
justice to believethat any mischief for which you are
responsible has been mischief innocently done？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Allan； speaking； for the first time； a little
constrainedly on his side。 〃It is only doing me justice to say
that。〃 He stopped and began drawing lines absently with his
finger on the blurred surface of the window…pane。 〃You're not
like other people； Midwinter；〃 he resumed； suddenly； with an
effort； 〃and I should have liked you to have heard the
particulars all the same。〃
〃I will hear them if you desire it；〃 returned Midwinter。 〃But I
am satisfied； without another word； that you have not willingly
been the means of depriving Miss Gwilt of her situation。 If that
is understood between you and me； I think we need say no more。
Besides； I have another question to ask； of much greater
importancea question that has been forced on me by what I saw
with my own eyes； and heard with my own ears； last night。〃
He stopped； recoiling in spite of himself。 〃Shall we go upstairs
first？〃 he asked； abruptly； leading the way to the door； and
trying to gain time。
It was useless。 Once again； the room which they were both free to
leave； the room which one of them had twice tried to leave
already； held them as if they were prisoners。
Without answering； without even appearing to have heard
Midwinter's proposal to go upstairs； Allan followed him
mechanically as far as the opposite side of the window。 There he
stopped。 〃Midwinter！〃 he burst out； in a sudden panic of
astonishment and alarm； 〃there seems to be something strange
between us！ You're not like yourself。 What is it？〃
With his hand on the lock of the door； Midwinter turned； and
looked back into the room。 The moment had come。 His haunting fear
of doing his friend an injustice had shown itself in a restraint
of word； look； and action which had been marked enough to force
its way to Allan's notice。 The one course left now； in the
dearest interests of the friendship that united them； was to
speak at once； and to speak boldly。
〃There's something strange between us；〃 reiterated Allan。 〃For
God's sake； what is it？〃
Midwinter took his hand from the door； and came down again to the
window； fronting Allan。 He occupied the place； of necessity；
which Allan had just left。 It was the side of the window on which
the Statuette stood。 The little figure； placed on its projecting
bracket； was； close behind him on his right hand。 No signs of
change appeared in the stormy sky。 The rain still swept slanting
across the garden； and pattered heavily against the glass。
〃Give me your hand； Allan。〃
Allan gave it； and Midwinter held it firmly while he spoke。
〃There is something strange between us；〃 he said。 〃There is
something to be set right which touches you nearly； and it has
not been set right yet。 You asked me just now where I met with
Miss Gwilt。 I met with h er on my way back here； upon the
high…road on the further side of the town。 She entreated me to
protect her from a man who was following and frightening her。 I
saw the scoundrel with my own eyes； and I should have laid hands
on him； if Miss Gwilt herself had not stopped me。 She gave a very
strange reason for stopping me。 She said I didn't know who his
employer was。〃
Allan's ruddy color suddenly deepened； he looked aside quickly
through the window at the pouring rain。 At the same moment their
hands fell apart； and there was a pause of silence on either
side。 Midwinter was the first to speak again。
〃Later in the evening；〃 he went on； 〃Miss Gwilt explained
herself。 She told me two things。 She declared that the man whom I
had seen following her was a hired spy。 I was surprised； but I
could not dispute it。 She told me next； Allanwhat I believe
with my whole heart and soul to be a falsehood which has been
imposed on her as the truthshe told me that the spy was in your
employment！〃
Allan turned instantly from the window； and looked Midwinter full
in the face again。 〃I must explain myself this time；〃 he said；
resolutely。
The ashy paleness peculiar to him in moments of strong emotion
began to show itself on Midwinter's cheeks。
〃More explanations！〃 he said； and drew back a step； with his eyes
fixed in a sudden terror of inquiry on Allan's face。
〃You don't know what I know； Midwinter。