maid, who has missed the happiness of her life, through not having
had a friend to guide and advise her when she was young. Are you
suffering as I once suffered?' She spoke so nicely--and I was so
wretched--that I really couldn't help it. I opened my heart to her."

Cosway looked grave. "Are you sure she is to be trusted?" he asked.

"Perfectly sure."

"Perhaps, my love, she has spoken about us (not meaning any harm)
to some friend of hers? Old ladies are so fond of gossip. It's just
possible--don't you think so?"

Adela hung her head.

"I have thought it just possible myself," she admitted. "There is plenty
of time to call on her to-day. I will set our doubts at rest before Miss
Benshaw goes out for her afternoon drive."

On that understanding they parted.

Toward evening Cosway's arrangements for the elopement were completed.
He was eating his solitary dinner when a note was brought to him. It
had been left at the door by a messenger. The man had gone away without
waiting for an answer. The note ran thus:

"Miss Benshaw presents her compliments to Mr. Cosway, and will be
obliged if he can call on her at nine o'clock this evening, on business
which concerns himself."

This invitation was evidently the result of Adela's visit earlier in the
day. Cosway presented himself at the house, troubled by natural emotions
of anxiety and suspense. His reception was not of a nature to compose
him. He was shown into a darkened room. The one lamp on the table was
turned down low, and the little light thus given was still further
obscured by a shade. The corners of the room were in almost absolute
darkness.

A voice out of one of the corners addressed him in a whisper:

"I must beg you to excuse the darkened room. I am suffering from a
severe cold. My eyes are inflamed, and my throat is so bad that I can
only speak in a whisper. Sit down, sir. I have got news for you."

"Not bad news, I hope, ma'am?" Cosway ventured to inquire.

"The worst possible news," said the whispering voice. "You have an enemy
striking at you in the dark."

Cosway asked who it was, and received no answer. He varied the form of
inquiry, and asked why the unnamed person struck at him in the dark. The
experiment succeeded; he obtained a reply.

"It is reported to me," said Miss Benshaw, "that the person thinks it
necessary to give you a lesson, and takes a spiteful pleasure in doing
it as mischievously as possible. The person, as I happen to kno