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Mrs。 Milroy had just looked at her watch； and had just put her
hand once more to the bell…pull； when the door opened and the
nurse entered the room。
〃Has the postman come？〃 asked Mrs。 Milroy。
The nurse laid a letter on the bed without answering； and waited；
with unconcealed curiosity； to watch the effect which it produced
on her mistress。
Mrs。 Milroy tore open the envelope the instant it was in her
hand。 A printed paper appeared （which she threw aside）；
surrounding a letter （which she looked at） in her own
handwriting！ She snatched up the printed paper。 It was the
customary Post… office circular； informing her that her letter
had been duly presented at the right address； and that the person
whom she had written to was not to be found。
〃Something wrong？〃 asked the nurse； detecting a change in her
mistress's face。
The question passed unheeded。 Mrs。 Milroy's writing…desk was on
the table at the bedside。 She took from it the letter which the
major's mother had written to her son； and turned to the page
containing the name and address of Miss
Gwilt's reference。 〃Mrs。 Mandeville； 18 Kingsdown Crescent；
Bayswater；〃 she read； eagerly to herself； and then looked at the
address on her own returned letter。 No error had been committed：
the directions were identically the same。
〃Something wrong？〃 reiterated the nurse； advancing a step nearer
to the bed。
〃Thank Godyes！〃 cried Mrs。 Milroy； with a sudden outburst of
exultation。 She tossed the Post…office circular to the nurse； and
beat her bony hands on the bedclothes in an ecstasy of
anticipated triumph。 〃Miss Gwilt's an impostor！ Miss Gwilt's an
impostor！ If I die for it； Rachel； I'll be carried to the window
to see the police take her away！〃
〃It's one thing to say she's an impostor behind her back； and
another thing to prove it to her face；〃 remarked the nurse。 She
put her hand as she spoke into her apron pocket； and； with a
significant look at her mistress； silently produced a second
letter。
〃For me？〃 asked Mrs。 Milroy。
〃No！〃 said the nurse； 〃for Miss Gwilt。〃
The two women eyed each other； and understood each other without
another word。
〃Where is she？〃 said Mrs。 Milroy。
The nurse pointed in the direction of the park。 〃Out again； for
another walk before breakfastby herself。〃
Mrs。 Milroy beckoned to the nurse to stoop close over her。 〃Can
you open it； Rachel？〃 she whispered。
Rachel nodded。
〃Can you close it again； so that nobody would know？〃
〃Can you spare the scarf that matches your pearl gray dress？〃
asked Rachel。
〃Take it！〃 said Mrs。 Milroy； impatiently。
The nurse opened the wardrobe in silence； took the scarf in
silence； and left the room in silence。 In less than five minutes
she came back with the envelope of Miss Gwilt's letter open in
her hand。
〃Thank you； ma'am； for the scarf；〃 said Rachel； putting the open
letter composedly on the counterpane of the bed。
Mrs。 Milroy looked at the envelope。 It had been closed as usual
by means of adhesive gum； which had been made to give way by the
application of steam。 As Mrs。 Milroy took out the letter； her
hand trembled violently； and the white enamel parted into cracks
over the wrinkles on her forehead。
Rachel withdrew to the window to keep watch on the park。 〃Don't
hurry；〃 she said。 〃No signs of her yet。〃
Mrs。 Milroy still paused； keeping the all…important morsel of
paper folded in her hand。 She could have taken Miss Gwilt's life；
but she hesitated at reading Miss Gwilt's letter。
〃Are you troubled with scruples？〃 asked the nurse； with a sneer。
〃Consider it a duty you owe to your daughter。〃
〃You wretch！〃 said Mrs。 Milroy。 With that expression of opinion；
she opened the letter。
It was evidently written in great haste； was undated； and was
signed in initials only。 Thus it ran：
〃Diana Street。
〃BY DEAR LYDIAThe cab is waiting at the door； and I have only a
moment to tell you that I am obliged to leave London； on
business； for three or four days； or a week at longest。 My
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；〃