he
open door safely.

Even in my state of terror I had made my plan, and without giving myself
a moment to recover my self-possession I knocked at the study door, and,
at Mr. Hamilton's rather impatient 'Come in,' entered it with the same
sort of feeling that one would enter an ark of refuge.

He laid down his pen in some surprise when he saw me, and then rose
quickly from his seat.

'You are ill; you have come to tell me so,' in an anxious voice. 'Don't
try to speak this moment: sit down--my--Miss Garston'; but I caught his
arm nervously as he seemed about to leave me.

'Don't go away: I must speak to you. I am not ill: only I have had a
turn. You may give me some water'; for there was a bottle and glass on
the table. He obeyed me at once, and watched me as I tried to take it;
but my hand trembled too much: the next moment he had put it to my lips,
and had wiped the moisture gently from my forehead.

'It is only faintness; it will pass off directly,' he said quietly. 'I
will not leave you; but I have some sal volatile in that cupboard, and I
think you will be the better for it.' And he mixed me some, and stood by
me without speaking until the colour came back to my face. 'You are
better now, Ursula--I mean,' biting his lips--'well, never mind. Do you
feel a little less shaky?'

'Yes, thank you. I did not mean to be so foolish, but it was dark, and
I got frightened and nervous; and oh, Mr. Hamilton, I must not lose time,
or they will be coming in.'

'Who will be coming in?' he asked, rather bewildered at this. 'There is
no one out, is there?'

'Yes, Miss Darrell and Leah. I heard them talking in "Conspiracy Corner";
you know that seat in the asphalt walk?'

'Well?' regarding me with an astonished air.

'Mr. Hamilton, I am better now. I am not frightened any longer now I am
with you. Will you please call Leah when she comes in from the garden? I
want to speak to her in your presence. I have a most serious charge to
make against her and against your cousin Miss Darrell. It relates,' and
here I felt my lips getting white again,--'it relates to your brother
Eric.'

He started, and an expression of pain crossed his face,--a sudden look
of fear, as though he dreaded what I might have to tell him; but the next
moment he was thinking only of me.

'You shall speak to Leah to-morrow,' he said gently; 'it is late
now,--nearly ten o'clock,--and you are ill, and had better go to bed
and rest yourself. I can wait unti