left Mrs. Rook in a position to be
called to account, by those who owe a duty to his memory--I mean the
surviving members of his family."

"There are but two of us, Mr. Morris. My aunt and myself."

"There are his executors."

"My aunt is his only executor."

"Your father's sister--I presume?"

"Yes."

"He may have left instructions with her, which might be of the greatest
use to us."

"I will write to-day, and find out," Emily replied. "I had already
planned to consult my aunt," she added, thinking again of Miss Jethro.

"If your aunt has not received any positive instructions," Alban
continued, "she may remember some allusion to Mrs. Rook, on your
father's part, at the time of his last illness--"

Emily stopped him. "You don't know how my dear father died," she said.
"He was struck down--apparently in perfect health--by disease of the
heart."

"Struck down in his own house?"

"Yes--in his own house."

Those words closed Alban's lips. The investigation so carefully and so
delicately conducted had failed to serve any useful purpose. He had now
ascertained the manner of Mr. Brown's death and the place of Mr. Brown's
death--and he was as far from confirming his suspicions of Mrs. Rook as
ever.

CHAPTER XI. THE DRAWING-MASTER'S CONFESSION.

"Is there nothing else you can suggest?" Emily asked.

"Nothing--at present."

"If my aunt fails us, have we no other hope?"

"I have hope in Mrs. Rook," Alban answered. "I see I surprise you; but I
really mean what I say. Sir Jervis's housekeeper is an excitable woman,
and she is fond of wine. There is always a weak side in the character
of such a person as that. If we wait for our chance, and turn it to
the right use when it comes, we may yet succeed in making her betray
herself."

Emily listened to him in bewilderment.

"You talk as if I was sure of your help in the future," she said. "Have
you forgotten that I leave school to-day, never to return? In half an
hour more, I shall be condemned to a long journey in the company of that
horrible creature--with a life to look forward to, in the same house
with her, among strangers! A miserable prospect, and a hard trial of a
girl's courage--is it not, Mr. Morris?"

"You will at least have one person, Miss Emily, who will try with all
his heart and soul to encourage you."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," said Alban, quietly, "that the Midsummer vacation begins
to-day; and that the drawing-master is going t