they went towards the house, “why my uncle kept that place so carefully locked?”
Cooper pulled up, and Humphreys felt that he must be on the brink of a revelation.
“I should merely be deceiving you, Mr. Humphreys, and that to no good purpose, if I laid claim to possess any information whatsoever on that topic. When I first entered upon my duties here, some eighteen years back, that maze was word for word in the condition you see it now, and the one and only occasion on which the question ever arose within my knowledge was that of which my girl made mention in your hearing. Lady Wardrop—I've not a word to say against her—wrote applying for admission to the maze. Your uncle showed me the note —a most civil note—everything that could be expected from such a quarter. ‘Cooper,’ he said, ‘I wish you'd reply to that note on my behalf.’ ‘Certainly, Mr, Wilson,’ I said, for I was quite inured to acting as his secretary, ‘what answer shall I return to it?’ ‘Well,’ he said, ‘give Lady Wardrop my compliments, and tell her that if ever that portion of the grounds is taken
