know not whether the signal was answered from some viewless quarter of our own dwelling; but immediately after there fluttered from the lattice a falling object, white and light—billet the second, of course.
“There!” I ejaculated involuntarily.
“Where?” asked Dr. John with energy, making direct for the window. “What is it?”
“They have gone and done it again”, was my reply. “A handkerchief waved and something fell”: and I pointed to the lattice, now closed and looking hypocritically blank.
“Go at once; pick it up and bring it here”; was his prompt direction; adding, “nobody will take notice of you: I should be seen”.
Straight I went. After some little search, I found a folded paper, lodged on the lower branch of a shrub; I seized and brought it direct to Dr. John. This time, I believe not even Rosine saw me.
He instantly tore the billet into small pieces, without reading it.
“It is not in the least her fault, you must remember”, he said, looking at me.
"Whose fault?” I asked. “Who is it?”
“You don’t yet know, then?”
“Not in the least”.
“Have you no guess?”
“None”.
“If I knew you better, I might be tempted to risk some confidence, and thus secure you as guardian over a most innocent and excellent, but somewhat inexperienced being”.
“As a duenna?” I asked.
“Yes”, said he, abstractedly. “What snares are round her!” he added, musingly: and now, certainly for the first time, he examined my face, anxious, doubtless, to see if any kindly expression there, would warrant him in recommending to my care and indulgence some ethereal creature, against whom powers of darkness were plotting. I felt no particular vocation to undertake the surveillance of ethereal creatures; but recalling the scene at the bureau, it seemed to me that I owed him a good turn; if I could help him then I would, and it lay not with me to decide how. With as little reluctance as might be, I intimated that “I was willing to do what I
