energetically to the old complimentary strain。 〃I should like to
have my basket of fruit sent back every dayif I could only be
sure of its bringing you out into the paddock the first thing in
the morning。〃
Some of Miss Milroy's missing color began to appear again in her
cheeks。 〃Oh； Mr。 Armadale； there is really no end to your
kindness；〃 she said； 〃you don't know how you relieve me！ She
paused； her spirits rallied with as happy a readiness of recovery
as if they had been the spirits of a child； and her native
brightness of temper sparkled again in her eyes； as she looked
up； shyly smiling in Allan's face。 〃Don't you think；〃 she asked；
demurely； 〃that it is almost time now to let go of my hand？〃
Their eyes met。 Allan followed his instincts for the second time。
Instead of releasing her hand； he lifted it to his lips and
kissed it。 All the missing tints of the rosier sort returned to
Miss Milroy's complexion on the instant。 She snatched away her
hand as if Allan had burned it。
〃I'm sure _that's_ wrong； Mr。 Armadale；〃 she said； and turned her
head aside quickly； for she was smiling in spite of herself。
〃I meant it as an apology forfor holding your hand too long；〃
stammered Allan。 〃An apology can't be wrongcan it？〃
There are occasions； though not many； when the female mind
accurately appreciates an appeal to the force of pure reason。
This was one of the occasions。 An abstract proposition had been
presented to Miss Milroy； and Miss Milroy was convinced。 If it
was meant as an apology； that； she admitted； made all the
difference。 〃I only hope；〃 said the little coquet； looking at him
slyly； 〃you're not misleading me。 Not that it matters much now；〃
she added； with a serious shake of her head。 〃If we have
committed any improprieties； Mr。 Armadale； we are not likely to
have the opportunity of committing many more。〃
〃You're not going away？〃 exclaimed Allan； in great alarm。
〃Worse than that； Mr。 Armadale。 My new governess is coming。〃
〃Coming？〃 repeated Allan。 〃Coming already？〃
〃As good as coming； I ought to have saidonly I didn't know you
wished me to be so very particular。 We got the answers to the
advertisements this morning。 Papa and I opened them and read them
together half an hour ago； and we both picked out the same letter
from all the rest。 I picked it out； because it was so prettily
expressed； and papa picked it out because the terms were so
reasonable。 He is going to send the letter up to grandmamma in
London by today's post； and； if she finds everything satisfactory
on inquiry； the governess is to be engaged You don't know how
dreadfully nervous I am getting about it already； a strange
governess is such an awful prospect。 But it is not quite so bad
as going to school； and I have great hopes of this new lady；
because she writes such a nice letter！ As I said to papa； it
almost reconciles me to her horrid； unromantic name。〃
〃What is her name？〃 asked Allan。 〃Brown？ Grubb？ Scraggs？ Anything
of that sort？〃
〃Hush！ hush！ Nothing quite so horrible as that。 Her name is
Gwilt。 Dreadfully unpoetical； isn't it？ Her reference must be a
respectable person； though； for she lives in the same part of
London as grandmamma。 Stop； Mr。 Armadale！ we are going the wrong
way。 No； I can't wait to look at those lovely flowers of yours
this morning； and； many thanks； I can't accept your arm。 I have
stayed here too long already。 Papa is waiting for his breakfast；
and I must run back every step of the way。 Thank you for making
those kind allowances for mamma； thank you again and again； and
good…by！ 〃
〃Won't you shake hands？〃 asked Allan。
She gave him her hand。 〃No more apologies； if you please； Mr。
Armadale；〃 she said； saucily。 Once more their eyes met； and once
more the plump； dimpled little hand found its way to Allan's
lips。 〃It isn't an apology this time！〃 cried Allan； precipitately
defending himself。 〃It'sit's a mark of respect。〃
She started back a few steps； and burst out laughing。 〃You won't
find me in our grounds again； Mr。 Armadale；〃 she said； merrily；
〃till I have got Miss Gwilt to take care of me！〃 With that
farewell； she gathered up her skirts； and ran back across the
paddock at the top of her speed。
Allan stood watching her in speechless admiration till she was
out of sight。 His second interview with Miss Milroy had produced
an extraordinary effect on him。 For the first time since he had
become the master of Thorpe Ambrose； he was absorbed in serious
consideration of what he owed to his new position in life。 〃The
question is；〃 pondered Allan； 〃whether I hadn't better set myself
right with my neighbors by becoming a married man？ I'll take the
day to consider； and if I keep in the same mind about it； I'll
consult Midwinter to…morrow morning。〃
When the morning came； and when Allan descended to the
breakfast…room； resolute to consult his friend on the obligations
that he owed to his neighbors in general； and to Miss Milroy in
particular； no Midwinter was to he seen。 On making inquiry； it
appeared that he had been observed in the hall； that he had taken
from the table a letter which the morning's post had brought to
him； and that he had gone back immediately to his own room。 Allan
at once ascended the stairs again； and knocked at his friend's
door。
〃May I come in？〃 he asked。
〃Not just now；〃 was the answer。
〃You have got a letter； haven't you？〃 persisted Allan。 〃Any bad
news？ Anything wrong？〃
〃Nothing。 I'm not very well this morning。 Don't wait breakfast
for me； I'll come down as soon as I can。〃
No more was said on either side。 Allan returned to the
breakfast…room a little disappointed。 He had set his heart on
rushing headlong into his consultation with Midwinter； and here
was the consultation indefinitely delayed。 〃What an odd fellow he
is！〃 thought Allan。 〃What on earth can he be doing； locked in
there by himself？〃
He was doing nothing。 He was sitting by the window； with the
letter which had reached him that morning open in his hand。 The
handwriting was Mr。 Brock's； and the words written were these：
〃MY DEAR MIDWINTERI have literally only two minutes before post
time to tell you that I have just met （in Kensington Gardens）
with the woman whom we both only know； thus far； as the woman
with the red Paisley shawl。 I have traced her and her companion
（a respectable…looking elderly lady） to their residenceafter
having distinctly heard Allan's name mentioned between them。
Depend on my not losing sight of the woman until I am satisfied
that she means no mischief at Thorpe Ambrose； and expect to hear
from me again as soon as I know how this strange discovery is to
end。
〃Very truly yours； D ECIMUS BROCK。〃
After reading the letter for the second time； Midwinter folded it
up thoughtfully； and placed it in his pocket…book； side by side
with the manuscript narrative of Allan's dream。
〃Your discovery will not end with _you；_ Mr。 Brock；〃 he said。 〃Do
what you will with the woman； when the time comes the woman will
be here。〃
CHAPTER V。
MOTHER OLDERSHAW ON HER GUARD。
1。 _From Mrs。 Oldershaw （Diana Street； Pimlico） to Miss Gwilt
（West Place； Old Brompton）。_
〃Ladies' Toilet Repository； June 20th；
Eight in the Evening。
〃MY DEAR LYDIAAbout three hours have passed； as well as I can
remember； since I pushed you unceremoniously inside my house in
West Place； and； merely telling you to wait till you saw me
again； banged the door to between us； and left you alone in the
hall。 I know your sensitive nature； my dear； and I am afraid you
have made up your mind by this time that never yet was a guest
treated so abominably by her hostess as I have treated you。
〃The delay that has prevented me from explaining my strange
conduct is； believe me； a delay for which I am not to blame。 One
of the many delicate little difficulties which beset so
essentially confidential a business as mine occurred here （as I
have since discovered） while we were taking the air this
afternoon in Kensington Gardens。 I see no chance of being able to
get back to you for some hours to come； and I have a word of very
urgent caution for your private ear； which has been too long
delayed already。 So I must use the spare minutes as they come；
and write。
〃Here is caution the first。 On no account venture outside the
door again this evening； and be very careful； while the daylight
lasts； not to show yourself at any of the front windows。 I have
reason to fear that a certain charming person now staying with me
may possibly be watched。 Don't be alarmed； and don't be
impatient； you shall know why。
〃I can only explain myself by going back to our unlucky meeting
in the Gardens with that reverend gentleman who was so obliging
as to follow us both back to my house。
〃It crossed my mind； just as we were close to the door； that
there might be a motive for the parson's anxiety to trace us
home； far less creditable to his taste； and far more dangerous to
both of us； than the motive you supposed him to have。 In plainer
words； Lydia； I rather doubted whether you had met with another
admirer； and I strongly suspected that you had encountered
another enemy instead 。 There was no time to tell you this。 There
was only time to see you safe into the house； and to make sure of
the parson （in case my suspicions were right） by treating him as
he had treated us； I mean； by following him in his turn。
〃I kept some little distance behind him at first； to turn the
thing over in my mind； and to be satisfied that my doubts were
not misleading me。 We have no concealments from each other； and
you shall know what my doubts were。
〃I was not surprised at _your_ recognizing _him；_ he is not at
all a common…looking old man； and you had seen him twice in
Somersetshireonce when you asked your way of him to Mrs。
Armadale's house； and once when you saw him again on your way
back to the railroad。 But I was a little puzzled （considering
that you had your veil down on both those occasions； and your
veil down also when we were in the Gardens） at his recognizing
_you。_ I doubted his remembering your figure in a summer dress
after he had only seen it in a winter dress； and though we were
talking when he met us； and your voice is o