ed where it
could be used by the owners of the house without observation from
their dependants, and would therefore be either in the drawing-room,
dining-room, the principal bed-chambers, or the passages, corridors,
or stairs between or adjoining these."

"I quite follow you in your reasoning, Mrs. Conway, and agree with
you. Doubtless, the place is so situated as to be what I may call
handy to the owners of the Hall, but I still do not see how you are
going to set about finding it."

"I am going to set about it by going to live at the Hall."

"Going to live at the Hall, Mrs. Conway! But how is that possible
under the circumstances? You are, I should say, the last person whom
the Miss Penfolds would at present invite to take up her residence
there."

"I agree with you, if they had any idea of my identity; but that is
just what I intend they shall not have. My plan is to go there in the
capacity of a servant. Once there I shall examine, as I say, every
square inch of the rooms and places where this hiding-place is likely
to exist. Every knob, knot, or inequality of any kind in the wood-work
and stone-work shall be pressed, pulled, and twisted, until I find it.
I am aware that the task may occupy months or even years, for, of
course, my opportunities will be limited. Still, whether months or
years, I intend to undertake it and to carry it through, if my life is
spared until I have had time thoroughly and completely to carry it
out."

Mr. Tallboys was silent from sheer astonishment.

"Do you realty mean that you think of going there as a servant, Mrs.
Conway?"

"Certainly I do," she replied calmly. "I suppose the work will be no
harder for me than for other women; and whereas they do it for some
ten or twelve pounds a year I shall do it for a fortune. I see not the
slightest difficulty or objection in that part of the business. I
shall, of course, let my house at Dover, making arrangements for my
son's letters there being forwarded, and for my letters to him being
posted in Dover. I shall have the satisfaction that while engaged upon
this work my income will be accumulating for his benefit. I own that I
can see no difficulty whatever in my plan being carried out.

"Now, as to the assistance that I wish you to give me. It could,
perhaps, have been more readily given by Mr. Withers, for naturally he
would know personally most of the servants of the Hall, as the
majority of them doubtless belong to the village. But