elf. But if (as I am afraid) the steward's duties are of
far too serious a kind to be learned off-hand by a man so young and so
inexperienced as I am, then pray hasten your journey to Thorpe Ambrose,
and exert your influence over Allan personally. Nothing less will induce
him to pass me over, and to employ a steward who is really fit to take
the place. Pray, pray act in this matter as you think best for Allan's
interests. Whatever disappointment I may feel, _he_ shall not see it.

"Believe me, dear Mr. Brock,

"Gratefuly yours,

"OZIAS MIDWINTER.

"P.S.--I open the envelope again to add one word more. If you have heard
or seen anything since your return to Somersetshire of the woman in
the black dress and the red shawl, I hope you will not forget, when you
write, to let me know it.

"O. M."

2. _From Mrs. Oldershaw to Miss Gwilt_.

"Ladies' Toilet Repository, Diana Street, Pimlico,

"Wednesday.

"MY DEAR LYDIA--To save the post, I write to you, after a long day's
worry at my place of business, on the business letter-paper, having news
since we last met which it seems advisable to send you at the earliest
opportunity.

"To begin at the beginning. After carefully considering the thing, I
am quite sure you will do wisely with young Armadale if you hold your
tongue about Madeira and all that happened there. Your position was, no
doubt, a very strong one with his mother. You had privately helped
her in playing a trick on her own father; you had been ungratefully
dismissed, at a pitiably tender age, as soon as you had served her
purpose; and, when you came upon her suddenly, after a separation of
more than twenty years, you found her in failing health, with a grown-up
son, whom she had kept in total ignorance of the true story of her
marriage.

"Have you any such advantages as these with the young gentleman who has
survived her? If he is not a born idiot he will decline to believe your
shocking aspersions on the memory of his mother; and--seeing that you
have no proofs at this distance of time to meet him with--there is an
end of your money-grubbing in the golden Armadale diggings. Mind, I
don't dispute that the old lady's heavy debt of obligation, after what
you did for her in Madeira, is not paid yet; and that the son is the
next person to settle with you, now the mother has slipped through your
fingers. Only squeeze him the right way, my dear, that's what I venture
to suggest--squeeze him the right way.