letters will be forwarded if you write。 I got yours yesterday；
and I agree with you that it is very important to put him off the
awkward subject of yourself and your family as long as you safely
can。 The better you know him； the better you will be able to make
up the sort of story that will do。 Once told； you will have to
stick to it； and； _having_ to stick to it； beware of making it
complicated； and beware of making it in a hurry。 I will write
again about this； and give you my own ideas。 In the meantime；
don't risk meeting him too often in the park。
〃Yours； M。 O。〃
〃Well？〃 asked the nurse； returning to the bedside。 〃Have you done
with it？〃
〃Meeting him in the park！〃 repeated Mrs。 Milroy； with her eyes
still fastened on the letter。 〃_Him！_ Rachel； where is the
major？〃
〃In his own room。〃
〃I don't believe it！ 〃
〃Have your own way。 I want the letter and the envelope。〃
〃Can you close it again so that she won't know？〃
〃What I can open I can shut。 Anything more？〃
〃Nothing more。〃
Mrs。 Milroy was left alone again； to review her plan of attack by
the new light that had now been thrown on Miss Gwilt。
The information that had been gained by opening the governess's
letter pointed plainly to the conclusion that an adventuress had
stolen her way into the house by means of a false reference。 But
having been obtained by an act of treachery which it was
impossible to acknowledge； it was not information that could be
used either for warning the major or for exposing Miss Gwilt。 The
one available weapon in Mrs。 Milroy's hands was the weapon
furnished by her own returned letter； and the one question to
decide was how to make the best and speediest use of it。
The longer she turned the matter over in her mind； the more hasty
and premature seemed the exultation which she had felt at the
first sight of the Post…office circular。 That a lady acting as
reference to a governess should have quitted her residence
without leaving any trace behind her； and without even mentioning
an address to which her letters could be forwarded； was a
circumstance in itself sufficiently suspicious to be mentioned to
the major。 But Mrs。 Milroy； however perverted her estimate of her
husband might be in some respects； knew enough of his character
to be assured that； if she told him what had happened； he would
frankly appeal to the governess herself for an explanation。 Miss
Gwilt's quickness and cunning would； in that case； produce some
plausible answer on the spot； which the major's partiality would
be only too ready to accept； and she would at the same time； no
doubt； place matters in train； by means of the post； for the due
arrival of all needful confirmation on the part of her accomplice
in London。 To keep strict silence for the present； and to
institute （without the governess's knowledge） such inquiries as
might be necessary to the discovery of undeniable evidence； was
plainly the only safe course to take with such a man as the
major； and with such a woman as Miss Gwilt。 Helpless herself； to
whom could Mrs。 Milroy commit the difficult and dangerous task of
investigation？ The nurse； even if she was to be trusted； could
not be spared at a day's notice； and could not be sent away
without the risk of exciting remark。 Was there any other
competent and reliable person to employ； either at Thorpe Ambrose
or in London？ Mrs。 Milroy turned from side to side of the bed；
searching every corner of her mind for the needful discovery； And
searching in vain。 〃Oh； if I could only lay my hand on some man I
could trust！〃 she thought； despairingly。 〃If I only knew where to
look for somebody to help me！〃
As the idea passed through her mind； the sound of her daughter's
voice startled her from the other side of the door。
〃May I come in？〃 asked Neelie。
〃What do you want？〃 returned Mrs。 Milroy； impatiently。
〃I have brought up your breakfast； mamma。〃
〃My breakfast？〃 repeated Mrs。 Milroy； in surprise。 〃Why doesn't
Rachel bring it up as usual？〃 She considered a moment； and then
called out； sharply； 〃Come in！〃
CHAPTER II。
THE MAN IS FOUND。
NEELIE entered the room； carrying the tray with the tea； the dry
toast； and the pat of butter which composed the invalid's
invariable breakfast。
〃What does this mean？〃 asked Mrs。 Milroy； speaking and looking as
she might have spoken and looked if the wrong servant had come
into the room。
Neelie put the tray down on the bedside table。 〃I thought I
should like to bring you up your breakfast； mamma； for once in a
way；〃 she replied； 〃and I asked Rachel to let me。〃
〃Come here；〃 said Mrs。 Milroy； 〃and wish me good…morning。〃
Neelie obeyed。 As she stooped to kiss her mother； Mrs。 Milroy
caught her by the arm； and turned her roughly to the light。 There
were plain signs of disturbance and distress in her daughter's
face。 A deadly thrill of terror ran through Mrs。 Milroy on the
instant。 She suspected that the opening of the letter had been
discovered by Miss Gwilt； and that the nurse was keeping out of
the way in consequence。
〃Let me go； mamma；〃 said Neelie； shrinking under her mother's
grasp。 〃You hurt me。〃
〃Tell me why you have brought up my breakfast this morning；〃
persisted Mrs。 Milroy。
〃I have told you； mamma。〃
〃You have not！ You have made an excuse； I see it in your face。
Come！ what is it？〃
Neelie's resolution ga ve way before her mother's。 She looked
aside uneasily at the things in the tray。 〃I have been vexed；〃
she said； with an effort； 〃and I didn't want to stop in the
breakfast…room。 I wanted to come up here； and to speak to you。〃
〃Vexed？ Who has vexed you？ What has happened？ Has Miss Gwilt
anything to do with it？〃
Neelie looked round again at her mother in sudden curiosity and
alarm。 〃Mamma！〃 she said； 〃you read my thoughts。 I declare you
frighten me。 It _was_ Miss Gwilt。〃
Before Mrs。 Milroy could say a word more on her side； the door
opened and the nurse looked in。
〃Have you got what you want？〃 she asked； as composedly as usual。
〃Miss； there； insisted on taking your tray up this morning。 Has
she broken anything？〃
〃Go to the window。 I want to speak to Rachel。〃 said Mrs。 Milroy。
As soon as her daughter's back was turned； she beckoned eagerly
to the nurse。 〃Anything wrong？〃 she asked； in a whisper。 〃Do you
think she suspects us？〃
The nurse turned away with her hard； sneering smile。 〃I told you
it should be done；〃 she said； 〃and it _has_ been done。 She hasn't
the ghost of a suspicion。 I waited in the room； and I saw her
take up the letter and open it。〃
Mrs。 Milroy drew a deep breath of relief。 〃Thank you；〃 she said；
loud enough for her daughter to hear。 〃I want nothing more。〃
The nurse withdrew； and Neelie came back from the window。 Mrs。
Milroy took her by the hand； and looked at her more attentively
and more kindly than usual。 Her daughter interested her that
morning； for her daughter had something to say on the subject of
Miss Gwilt。
〃I used to think that you promised to be pretty； child；〃 she
said； cautiously resuming the interrupted conversation in the
least direct way。 〃But you don't seem to be keeping your promise。
You look out of health and out of spirits。 What is the matter
with you？〃
If there had been any sympathy between mother and child； Neelie
might have owned the truth。 She might have said frankly： 〃I am
looking ill； because my life is miserable to me。 I am fond of Mr。
Armadale； and Mr。 Armadale was once fond of me。 We had one little
disagreement； only one； in which I was to blame。 I wanted to tell
him so at the time； and I have wanted to tell him so ever since；
and Miss Gwilt stands between us and prevents me。 She has made us
like strangers； she has altered him； and taken him away from me。
He doesn't look at me as he did； he doesn't speak to me as he
did； he is never alone with me as he used to be； I can't say the
words to him that I long to say； and I can't write to him； for it
would look as if I wanted to get him back。 It is all over between
me and Mr。 Armadale； and it is that woman's fault。 There is
ill…blood between Miss Gwilt and me the whole day long； and say
what I may； and do what I may； she always gets the better of me；
and always puts me in the wrong。 Everything I saw at Thorpe
Ambrose pleased me； everything I did at Thorpe Ambrose made me
happy； before she came。 Nothing pleases me； and nothing makes me
happy now！〃 If Neelie had ever been accustomed to ask her
mother's advice and to trust herself to her mother's love； she
might have said such words as these。 As。 it was； the tears came
into her eyes； and she hung her head in silence。
〃Come！〃 said Mrs。 Milroy； beginning to lose patience。 〃You have
something to say to me about Miss Gwilt。 What is it？〃
Neelie forced back her tears； and made an effort to answer。
〃She aggravates me beyond endurance； mamma； I can't bear her； I
shall do something〃 Neelie stopped； and stamped her foot
angrily on the floor。 〃I shall throw something at her head if we
go on much longer like this！ I should have thrown something this
morning if I hadn't left the room。 Oh； do speak to papa about it！
Do find out some reason for sending her away！ I'll go to
schoolI'll do anything in the world to get rid of Miss Gwilt！〃
To get rid of Miss Gwilt！ At those wordsat that echo from her
daughter's lips of the one dominant desire kept secret in her own
heartMrs。 Milroy slowly raised herself in bed。 What did it
mean？ Was the help she wanted coming from the very last of all
quarters in which she could have thought of looking for it？
〃Why do you want to get rid of Miss Gwilt？〃 she asked。 〃What have
you got to complain of？〃
〃Nothing！〃 said Neelie。 〃That's the aggravation of it。 Miss Gwilt
won't let me have anything to complain of。 She is perfectly
detestable； she is driving me mad； and she is the pink of
propriety all the time。 I dare say it's wrong； but I don't
careI hate her！〃
Mrs。 Milroy's eyes questioned her daughter's face as they had
never questioned it yet。 There was something under the surface；
evidentlysomething which it might be of vital importance to her
own purpose to discoverwhich had not risen into view。 She went
on probing her way deeper and deeper into Neelie's mind； with