Noel Vanstone was gone away on a journey. Has she
gone for long?"
Her master's hand trembled on her arm as she put that question. Instead
of answering it, he tried faintly to plead for himself. The first words
that escaped him were prompted by his first returning sense--the sense
that his housekeeper had taken him into custody. He tried to make his
peace with Mrs. Lecount.
"I always meant to do something for you," he said, coaxingly. "You would
have heard from me before long. Upon my word and honor, Lecount, you
would have heard from me before long!"
"I don't doubt it, sir," replied Mrs. Lecount. "But for the present,
never mind about Me. You and your interests first."
"How did you come here?" he asked, looking at her in astonishment. "How
came you to find me out?"
"It is a long story, sir; I will tell it you some other time. Let it be
enough to say now that I _have_ found you. Will Mrs. Noel be back again
at the house to-day? A little louder, sir; I can hardly hear you. So!
so! Not back again for a week! And where has she gone? To London, did
you say? And what for?--I am not inquisitive, Mr. Noel; I am asking
serious questions, under serious necessity.
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