s, a steady fellow of twenty-five, took up, as he calls it,
with the upper housemaid, and he believes there is a talk about their
being married some day. If this is so it would be the very thing for
you. You could help him to get married, and the girl could help you to
get her place."

"The very thing," Mrs. Conway said. "Nothing could have turned out
better."

In a few minutes the young carpenter arrived. He was a
pleasant-looking young fellow, and Mrs. Conway was not surprised at
the impression he had made upon the housemaid at the Hall.

"Sit down, Johnson," Mr. Tallboys began. "You know what I asked you to
come here for?"

"Mr. Peters told me that it was something to do with that job we had
at the Miss Penfolds', sir."

"Yes, that is it, Johnson. You know we were looking for a missing will
there?"

"Yes, sir; so I understood."

"Now, what we wanted to ask you specially, Johnson, was whether you
can tell us what the servants at the Hall thought about it?"

The young carpenter turned rather red in the face, and twisted his cap
about in his fingers.

"Well, sir, I don't know that I can say much about that. I don't think
most of them was overfond of the Miss Penfolds, and wouldn't have been
sorry if the will had been found that would have given them another
master or mistress."

"Just so, Johnson, that is what I thought was likely. Now, the point I
want to know, Johnson, and this lady here is, I may tell you,
interested in the matter of this will being found, is as to whether
there is in your opinion any one of the maids at the Hall who could be
trusted to aid us in this business? Of course we should make it worth
her while to do so."

Again the young carpenter colored, and fidgeted on his chair,
examining his cap intently.

"I suppose it would depend on what you wanted her to do," he said at
last. "The Hall is a good service, though they don't like the
mistresses, and of course none of them would like to do anything that
might risk their place."

"That's natural enough, Johnson. But, you see, we could perhaps more
than make up to her for that risk."

"Well, I don't know, sir," the man said after another pause. "It isn't
only the place; but, you see, a young woman wouldn't like to risk
getting into a row like and being turned away in disgrace, or perhaps
even worse. I don't know what you want, you see, sir?"

Mr. Tallboys looked at Mrs. Conway, and his eyes expressed the
question, How far shall we