Englishwoman. Find out when the
train goes, my dear sir, for yourself."

Alban at once consulted the guide. If there proved to be no immediate
need of starting for the station, he was determined that Emily should
not be condemned to pass the interval in the housekeeper's company. In
the meantime, Mrs. Rook was as eager as ever to show her dear young lady
what an amusing companion she could be.

"Talking of husbands," she resumed, "don't make the mistake, my dear,
that I committed. Beware of letting anybody persuade you to marry an old
man. Mr. Rook is old enough to be my father. I bear with him. Of course,
I bear with him. At the same time, I have not (as the poet says) 'passed
through the ordeal unscathed.' My spirit--I have long since ceased
to believe in anything of the sort: I only use the word for want of
a better--my spirit, I say, has become embittered. I was once a pious
young woman; I do assure you I was nearly as good as my name. Don't let
me shock you; I have lost faith and hope; I have become--what's the last
new name for a free-thinker? Oh, I keep up with the times, thanks to
old Miss Redwood! She takes in the newspapers, and makes me read them
to her. What _is_ the new name? Something ending in ic. Bombastic? No,
Agnostic?--that's it! I have become an Agnostic. The inevitable result
of marrying an old man; if there's any blame it rests on my husband."

"There's more than an hour yet before the train starts," Alban
interposed. "I am sure, Miss Emily, you would find it pleasanter to wait
in the garden."

"Not at all a bad notion," Mrs. Rook declared. "Here's a man who can
make himself useful, for once. Let's go into the garden."

She rose, and led the way to the door. Alban seized the opportunity of
whispering to Emily.

"Did you notice the empty decanter, when we first came in? That horrid
woman is drunk."

Emily pointed significantly to the locket. "Don't let her go. The garden
will distract her attention: keep her near me here."

Mrs. Rook gayly opened the door. "Take me to the flower-beds," she said.
"I believe in nothing--but I adore flowers."

Mrs. Rook waited at the door, with her eye on Emily. "What do _you_ say,
miss?"

"I think we shall be more comfortable if we stay where we are."

"Whatever pleases you, my dear, pleases me." With this reply, the
compliant housekeeper--as amiable as ever on the surface--returned to
her chair.

Would she notice the locket as she sat down? Emily turne