Crux, Mrs. Lecount tested
the truth or falsehood of the impression produced on her own mind by
vigilantly watching for sign s of secret communication on one side or on
the other. The close attention with which she had hitherto observed the
out-goings and in-comings at North Shingles was now entirely transferred
to her master. For the rest of that third day she never let him out of
her sight; she never allowed any third person who came to the house, on
any pretense whatever, a minute's chance of private communication with
him. At intervals through the night she stole to the door of his room,
to listen and assure herself that he was in bed; and before sunrise the
next morning, the coast-guardsman going his rounds was surprised to see
a lady who had risen as early as himself engaged over her work at one of
the upper windows of Sea View.
On the fourth morning Noel Vanstone came down to breakfast conscious
of the mistake that he had committed on the previous day. The obvious
course to take, for the purpose of gaining time, was to declare that
his mind was still undecided. He made the assertion boldly when the
housekeeper asked him if he meant to move that day.
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