trayal by sudden movement was concerned. But his color told the
truth: it faded to paleness--it revealed, even to Cecilia's eyes, a man
overpowered by fright.

Alban offered him a chair. He refused to take it by a gesture. Alban
tried an apology next. "I am afraid I have ignorantly revived some
painful associations. Pray excuse me."

The apology roused Mirabel: he felt the necessity of offering some
explanation. In timid animals, the one defensive capacity which is
always ready for action is cunning. Mirabel was too wily to dispute
the inference--the inevitable inference--which any one must have
drawn, after seeing the effect on him that the name of Miss Jethro had
produced. He admitted that "painful associations" had been revived, and
deplored the "nervous sensibility" which had permitted it to be seen.

"No blame can possibly attach to _you_, my dear sir," he continued, in
his most amiable manner. "Will it be indiscreet, on my part, if I ask
how you first became acquainted with Miss Jethro?"

"I first became acquainted with her at Miss Ladd's school," Alban
answered. "She was, for a short time only, one of the teachers; and
she left her situation rather suddenly." He paused--but Mirabel made
no remark. "After an interval of a few months," he resumed, "I saw Miss
Jethro again. She called on me at my lodgings, near Netherwoods."

"Merely to renew your former acquaintance?"

Mirabel made that inquiry with an eager anxiety for the reply which he
was quite unable to conceal. Had he any reason to dread what Miss Jethro
might have it in her power to say of him to another person? Alban was
in no way pledged to secrecy, and he was determined to leave no means
untried of throwing light on Miss Jethro's mysterious warning. He
repeated the plain narrative of the interview, which he had communicated
by letter to Emily. Mirabel listened without making any remark.

"After what I have told you, can you give me no explanation?" Alban
asked.

"I am quite unable, Mr. Morris, to help you."

Was he lying? or speaking, the truth? The impression produced on Alban
was that he had spoken the truth.

Women are never so ready as men to resign themselves to the
disappointment of their hopes. Cecilia, silently listening up to this
time, now ventured to speak--animated by her sisterly interest in Emily.

"Can you not tell us," she said to Mirabel, "why Miss Jethro tried to
prevent Emily Brown from meeting you here?"

"I know no more