The New Magdalen

In this position of affairs, as Julian understood it, there seemed to be

no other alternative than to make his inquiries instantly at the lodge

and then to direct the search in person.

He looked toward Mercy's chair as he arrived at this resolution. It was

at a cruel sacrifice of his own anxieties and his own wishes that he

deferred continuing the conversation with her from the critical point at

which Lady Janet's appearance had interrupted it.

Mercy had risen while he had been questioning the servant. The attention

which she had failed to accord to what had passed between his aunt and

himself she had given to the imperfect statement which he had extracted

from the man. Her face plainly showed that she had listened as eagerly

as Lady Janet had listened; with this remarkable difference between

there, that Lady Janet looked frightened, and that Lady Janet's

companion showed no signs of alarm. She appeared to be interested;

perhaps anxious--nothing more.

Julian spoke a parting word to his aunt.

"Pray compose yourself," he said "I have little doubt, when I can learn

the particulars, that we shall easily find this person in the grounds.

There is no reason to be uneasy. I am going to superintend the search

myself. I will return to you as soon as possible."

Lady Janet listened absently. There was a certain expression in her eyes

which suggested to Julian that her mind was busy with some project

of its own. He stopped as he passed Mercy, on his way out by the

billiard-room door. It cost him a hard effort to control the contending

emotions which the mere act of looking at her now awakened in him. His

heart beat fast, his voice sank low, as he spoke to her.

"You shall see me again," he said. "I never was more in earnest in

promising you my truest help and sympathy than I am now."

She understood him. Her bosom heaved painfully; her eyes fell to the

ground--she made no reply. The tears rose in Julian's eyes as he looked

at her. He hurriedly left the room.

When he turned to close the billiard-room door, he heard Lady Janet say,

"I will be with you again in a moment, Grace; don't go away."

Interpreting these words as meaning that his aunt had some business

of her own to attend to in the library, he shut the door. He had just

advanced into the smoking-room beyond, when he thought he heard the door

open again. He turned round. Lady Janet had followed him.

"Do you wish to speak to me?" he asked.

"I want something of you," Lady Janet answered, "before you go."

"What is it?"

"Your card."

"My card?"

"You have just told me not to be uneasy," said the old lady. "I _am_

uneasy, for all that. I don't feel as sure as you do that this woman

really is in the grounds. She may be lurking somewhere in the house, and

she may appear when your back in turned. Remember what you told me."