od as gold and
better. No, sir; our deaf-devil is not to blame for this. He has given
Cristy no reason to complain of him. She says so herself--and she never
told a lie yet."

"But, Mr. Toller," I objected, "something must have happened to distress
her. Has she not told you what it is?"

"Not she! Obstinate about it. Leaves me to guess. It's clear to my mind,
Mr. Gerard, that somebody has got at her in my absence, and said
something to upset her. You will ask me who the person is. I can't say I
have found that out yet."

"But you mean to try?"

"Yes; I mean to try."

He answered me with little of the energy which generally distinguished
him. Perhaps he was fatigued, or perhaps he had something else to think
of. I offered a suggestion.

"When we are in want of help," I said, "we sometimes find it, nearer than
we had ventured to expect--at our own doors."

The ancient miller rose at that hint like a fish at a fly.

"Gloody!" he cried.

"Find him at once, Mr. Toller."

He hobbled to the door--and looked round at me. "I've got burdens on my
mind," he explained, "or I should have thought of it too." Having done
justice to his own abilities, he bustled out. In less than a minute, he
was back again in a state of breathless triumph. "Gloody has seen the
person," he announced; "and (what do you think, sir?) it's a woman!"

I beckoned to Gloody, waiting modestly at the door, to come in, and tell
me what he had discovered.

"I saw her outside, sir--rapping at the door here, with her parasol."
That was the servant's report.

Her parasol? Not being acquainted with the development of dress among
female servants in England, I asked if she was a lady. There seemed to be
no doubt of it in the man's mind. She was also, as Gloody supposed, a
person whom he had never seen before.

"How is it you are not sure of that?" I said.

"Well, sir, she was waiting to be let in; and I was behind her, coming
out of the wood."

"Who let her in?"

"Miss Cristel." His face brightened with an expression of interest when
he mentioned the miller's daughter. He went on with his story without
wanting questions to help him. "Miss Cristel looked like a person
surprised at seeing a stranger--what _I_ should call a free and easy
stranger. She walked in, sir, as if the place belonged to her."

I am not suspicious by nature, as I hope and believe. But I began to be
reminded of Lady Rachel already.

"Did you notice the lady's dress?" I aske