am so glad that the doctor is to prescribe for Lady Burville," she said softly; "she will be able to do Allen so much good in his profession. He only needs the chance, and with his talents he is sure to be successful."
"Mr. Allen is very clever indeed," said delighted Mrs. Tice, who could never hear her nursling praised sufficiently.
"And his father was clever also, I believe?" said Dora, unmasking her batteries. This time Mrs. Tice changed colour, and placed the cup she was holding carefully on the tray. Dora noticed that her hand trembled.
"The late Dr. Scott was eminent in his profession," she said in a low voice.
"What a pity he did not live to help Allen on!" pursued Dora, still observant; "how long ago is it since he died, Mrs. Tice?"
"Some twenty years, miss."
"Really! When Allen was five years old; and you have had charge of him ever since?"
Mrs. Tice recovered a little of her self-control.
"I had charge of him before that, miss," she said genially; "his poor mother died when he was born, so I have had him in my care since he was in his cradle. And, please God, I'll stay with him until I die--that is, miss, if you do not object to my continuing housekeeper after your marriage to my dear Mr. Allen?"
"You shall stay and look after us both," declared Dora impetuously; "we could not do without you."
"Your guardian, Mr. Edermont, will miss you when you marry, my dear lady."
Dora's lip curled. "I do not think so," she said quietly. "Mr. Edermont is too much wrapped up in himself to trouble about me. You have never seen him, have you?" And on receiving a shake of the head, Dora continued: "He is a little womanish man, with a fine head of silvery hair."
"Ah!" said Mrs. Tice, a startled expression coming into her eyes.
"I think he has quarrelled with Allen," pursued Dora, not noticing the change in the other's manner, "for he told him something which may prevent our marriage."
"What was it, my dear?" asked Mrs. Tice in some perturbation.
"I don't know; Mr. Edermont won't tell me. And I asked you about this Lady Burville because I feel sure she has something to do with it."
"But, Miss Carew, I do not understand!"
"Well, Mrs. Tice," cried Dora quickly, "Mr. Joad said Lady Burville knew my guardian and Allen's father, and--I'm sure I can't tell how--but it has something to do with our marriage being stopped and Allen's going to London."
By this time Mrs. Tice was perfectly livid, and trembling like a leaf. Out of the incoherencies of Dora's story she had picked an idea, and it was this which moved her so deeply. Dora looked at her in astonishment.
"What is the matter, Mrs. Tice? Are you ill?"
The housekeeper shook her head; then, rising with some difficulty, she went to a cupboard, and produced therefrom a book of portraits. Turning over the pages of this, she pointed out one to Dora.
"A little man with silvery hair," she said slowly--"is that your guardian, Miss Carew?"
Dora looked and saw the face--clean-shaven--of a young man. Notwithstanding the absence of beard, she recognised it at once. It was Julian Edermont, with some twenty years off his life.
"Yes, that is Mr. Edermont," she said, astonished at the discovery.
"And you are his--his daughter?" questioned the housekeeper.
"No; I am his ward. Mr. Edermont has never been married."
Mrs. Tice looked thoroughly frightened.
"You say Mr. Edermont had a conversation with Mr. Allen?"
"Yes: a conversation and a quarrel."
"Oh, great heavens! if he should have learnt the truth!" muttered the old lady.
"If who should have learnt the truth?" demanded Dora.
Mrs. Tice closed the book with a snap, and put it in the cupboard, shaking her head ominously. She kept her eyes turned away persistently from the face of the young girl. Whatever discovery she had made from displaying the photograph, it was evident that she did not intend to communicate it to her companion.
"How did you come possessed of Mr. Edermont's photograph, when you said you did not know him?" asked Dora suddenly.
"I did not know him until--five minutes ago. You had better ask me no more questions, Miss Carew."
"But can you not tell me, from your knowledge of Allen's parents, why Mr. Edermont has quarrelled with him?"
"If Mr. Edermont is the man I take him to be, I can. But I shall not tell you, Miss Dora."
"Why not?"
The housekeeper shuddered.
"I dare not," she said in a trembling tone. "Oh, my dear, why did you come to-day? I know much, but I dare not speak."
"Is your knowledge so very terrible?"
"It is more terrible than you can guess."
"Does Mr. Edermont know as much as you do?"
"Mr.--Edermont," said the housekeeper, with a pause before the name, "knows more than I do."
"I do not see why I should be kept in the dark," said Dora petulantly. "All that concerns Allen concerns me."
"In that case," observed Mrs. Tice calmly, "I can only recommend you to wait until Mr. Allen returns. If he chooses to tell you, well and good; but for my part, I prefer to keep silent about the past."
"But is that fair to me, Mrs. Tice?"
"Silence is more than fair to you in this case," said the old dame, looking steadily at the eager face of the young girl. "It is merciful."
"Merciful? That is a strange word to use."
"It is the only word that can be used," replied Mrs. Tice emphatically. "No, do not ask me any more, my dear young lady. The secret I hold is not my own to tell. Should Mr. Allen give me permission to reveal it, I shall do so; otherwise I prefer to be silent."
One would have thought that this speech was final; but Dora was too bent upon learning the truth of Allen's strange behaviour to be satisfied. She urged, she cajoled, she threatened, she implored, but all to no purpose. Whatever it was that Mrs. Tice knew detrimental to the past of Mr. Edermont, she was determined to keep it to herself. Evidently there was nothing left but to wait until Allen returned. From experience Dora knew that she could wheedle anything out of her easy-going lover.
"Do you know anything about Lady Burville?" asked Dora, finding she could not persuade Mrs. Tice into confessing what she knew.
"I know nothing--not even the name," said the housekeeper. "Why do you ask?"
"Because Lady Burville
