t another word shall pass my
lips!"

Even Amelius profited by the warning which that threat unintentionally
conveyed to him.

"Keep your own secrets," he said; "I only want to spare Mrs. Farnaby a
dreadful disappointment. But I must know what I am talking about when I
go to her. Can't you tell me how you found out this abominable swindle?"

Phoebe was perfectly willing to tell him. Interpreting her long involved
narrative into plain English, with the names added, these were the
facts related:--Mrs. Sowler, bearing in mind some talk which had
passed between them on the occasion of a supper, had called at
Phoebe's lodgings on the previous day, and had tried to entrap her into
communicating what she knew of Mrs. Farnaby's secrets. The trap failing,
Mrs. Sowler had tried bribery next; had promised Phoebe a large sum of
money, to be equally divided between them, if she would only speak; had
declared that Jervy was perfectly capable of breaking his promise of
marriage, and "leaving them both in the lurch, if he once got the money
into his own pocket" and had thus informed Phoebe, that the conspiracy,
which she supposed to have been abandoned, was really in full progress,
without her knowledge. She had temporised with Mrs. Sowler, being afraid
to set such a person openly at defiance; and had hurried away at once,
to have an explanation with Jervy. He was reported to be "not at home."
Her fruitless visit to Regina had followed--and there, so far as facts
were concerned, was an end of the story.

Amelius asked her no questions, and spoke as briefly as possible when
she had done. "I will go to Mrs. Farnaby this morning," was all he said.

"Would you please let me hear how it ends?" Phoebe asked.

Amelius pushed his pocket-book and pencil across the table to her,
pointing to a blank leaf on which she could write her address. While
she was thus employed the attentive Toff came in, and (with his eye on
Phoebe) whispered in his master's ear. He had heard Sally moving about.
Would it be more convenient, under the circumstances, if she had her
breakfast in her own room? Toff's astonishment was a sight to see when
Amelius answered, "Certainly not. Let her breakfast here."

Phoebe rose to go. Her parting words revealed the double-sided nature
that was in her; the good and evil in perpetual conflict which should be
uppermost.

"Please don't mention me, sir, to Mrs. Farnaby," she said. "I don't
forgive her for what she's done to m