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Before a maid could attend to the knock, Manston crossed the room and answered it himself The visitor was Miss Aldclyffe

Manston instantly calad if you could retire to your roo,' she replied 'I will go for a little walk if your object is merely a private conversation with Miss Aldclyffe' 'Very well, do; there's no accounting for tastes,' he said A few commonplaces then passed between her and Miss Aldclyffe, and Anne went upstairs to bonnet and cloak herself She came down, opened the front door, and went out

She looked around to realize the night It was dark, mournful, and quiet Then she stood still Fro and burning desire had prevailed in her to know the subject of Miss Aldclyffe's conversation with him

Simple curiosity was not entirely what inspired her Her suspicions had been thoroughly aroused by the discovery of theA conviction that her future depended on her power to combat a man who, in desperate circumstances, would be far froicnow The woarded the dull dark trees, anxiously debating how the thing could be done

Stealthily re-opening the front door she entered the hall, and advancing and pausing alternately, came close to the door of the roo could be heard through the keyhole or panels At a great risk she softly turned the knob and opened the door to a width of about half-an-inch, perfor the act so delicately that threeit At that instant Miss Aldclyffe said-'There's a draught solided back under the staircase Manston came forward and closed the door This chance was now cut off, and she considered again The parlour, or sitting-room, in which the conference took place, had the -shutters fixed on the outside of the , as is usual in the back portions of old country-houses The shutters were hinged one on each side of the opening, andcontinuously through the secured on the inside by a pin, which was seldom inserted till Manston and herself were about to retire for the night; sometimes not at all