t see what Bozzle can do."

"He has found out at any rate that Osborne is there," said Trevelyan.
"I am not more fond of dealing with such fellows than you are
yourself. But I think it is my duty to know what is going on. What
ought I to do now?"

"I should do nothing,--except dismiss Bozzle."

"You know that that is nonsense, Stanbury."

"Whatever I did I should dismiss Bozzle." Stanbury was now quite in
earnest, and, as he repeated his suggestion for the dismissal of the
policeman, pushed his writing things away from him. "If you ask my
opinion, you know, I must tell you what I think. I should get rid of
Bozzle as a beginning. If you will only think of it, how can your
wife come back to you if she learns that you have set a detective to
watch her?"

"But I haven't set the man to watch her."

"Colonel Osborne is nothing to you, except as he is concerned with
her. This man is now down in her neighbourhood; and, if she learns
that, how can she help feeling it as a deep insult? Of course the man
watches her as a cat watches a mouse."

"But what am I to do? I can't write to the man and tell him to come
away. Osborne is down there, and I must do something. Will you go
down to Nuncombe Putney yourself, and let me know the truth?"

After much debating of the subject, Hugh Stanbury said that he would
himself go down to Nuncombe Putney alone. There were difficulties
about the D. R.; but he would go to the office of the newspaper and
overcome them. How far the presence of Nora Rowley at his mother's
house may have assisted in bringing him to undertake the journey,
perhaps need not be accurately stated. He acknowledged to himself
that the claims of friendship were strong upon him; and that as he
had loudly disapproved of the Bozzle arrangement, he ought to lend a
hand to some other scheme of action. Moreover, having professed his
conviction that no improper visiting could possibly take place under
his mother's roof, he felt bound to shew that he was not afraid to
trust to that conviction himself. He declared that he would be ready
to proceed to Nuncombe Putney to-morrow;--but only on condition that
he might have plenary power to dismiss Bozzle.

"There can be no reason why you should take any notice of the man,"
said Trevelyan.

"How can I help noticing him when I find him prowling about the
place? Of course I shall know who he is."

"I don't see that you need know anything about him."

"My dear Trevelyan, you can