ealth. I am not
going to prepare for any such unlikely contingency as your sudden
illness. Catherine, these are the _only_ circumstances under which
you are to communicate with your mother. Listen, my dear daughter.
Listen attentively. A good deal depends on your discretion. A stranger
may call. The stranger may be either a man or a woman. He or she will
ask to see me. Finding I am away this person, whether man or woman, will
try to have an interview with either you or Mabel, and will endeavor by
every means to get my address. Mabel, knowing nothing, can reveal
nothing, and you, Kate, you are to put the stranger on the wrong scent,
to get rid of the stranger by some means, and immediately to telegraph
to me. My address is in this closed-up envelope. Lock the envelope in
your desk; open it if the contingency to which I have alluded occurs,
not otherwise. And now, my dear child, I must go upstairs and pack."

Catherine roused herself from her kneeling position with difficulty. She
felt cold and stiff, queer and old.

"Shall I help you, mother," she asked.

"No, my dear, I shall ring for Clara. I shall tell Clara that I am going
to Manchester. A train to Manchester can be taken from Fleet-hill
Junction, so it will all sound quite natural. Go out to Mabel, dear.
Tell her any story you like."

"I don't tell stories, mother. I shall have nothing to say to Mabel."

"Tell her nothing, then; only run away. What is the matter now?"

"One thing before you go, mother. I too had a letter to-night."

"Had you, my dear? I cannot be worried about your correspondence now."

"My letter was from Loftie."

"Loftus! What did he write about?"

"He is coming here to-morrow night."

Catherine glanced eagerly into her mother's face as she spoke. It did
not grow any whiter or any more careworn.

She stood still for a moment in the middle of the drawing-room,
evidently thinking deeply. When she spoke her brow had cleared and her
voice was cheerful.

"This may be for the best," she said.

Catherine stamped her foot impatiently.

"Mother," she said, "you quite frighten me with your innuendoes and your
half-confidences. I don't understand you. It is very difficult to act
when one only half understands."

"I cannot make things plainer for you, my dear. I am glad Loftie is
coming. You girls must entertain him as well as you can. This is
Wednesday evening. I hope to be back at the latest on Monday. It is
possible even that I may tra