The housekeeper's farewell look had plainly informed him that she was
not at the end of her resources yet, and the old militia-man felt the
full importance of preparing himself in good time to meet the next step
which she took in advance. He lit a cigar, and bent his wary mind on the
dangers of the future.
While Captain Wragge was considering in the parlor at North Shingles,
Mrs. Lecount was meditating in her bedroom at Sea View. Her exasperation
at the failure of her first attempt to expose the conspiracy had not
blinded her to the instant necessity of making a second effort before
Noel Vanstone's growing infatuation got beyond her control. The snare
set for Magdalen having failed, the chance of entrapping Magdalen's
sister was the next chance to try. Mrs. Lecount ordered a cup of tea,
opened her writing-case, and began the rough draft of a letter to be
sent to Miss Vanstone, the elder, by the morrow's post.
So the day's skirmish ended. The heat of the battle was yet to come.
CHAPTER VI.
ALL human penetration has its limits. Accurately as Captain Wragge
had seen his way hitherto, even his sharp insight was now at fault. He
finished his cigar with the mortifying conviction that he was totally
unprepared for Mrs.
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