Page 275 (1/1)

Either complied, and Katy held in her hand the letter left for Wilford It had not been opened Itit until a fire was kindled in the grate, she tossed it into the flalowing coals

The quick-witted Esther saw that so, and traced it readily to Wilford, whose exacting nature she thoroughly understood She had not been blind during the two years and a half she had been Katy's maid, and no impatient word of Wilford's, or frown upon his face, had escaped her when occurring in her presence, while Katy's uniform sweetness and entire submission to his will had been noted as well, so that in Esther's opinion Wilford was a doer then of Esther's repeating anything forbidden She had, of course, her own private speculation on the subject, and when she learned that the tall, handsome man who came within an hour after Katy's arrival was Dr Grant, about who mistress and Mrs Caain, and to herself she said: "It's to Silverton Mrs Caet there and back so soon is a mystery to me, or why she went at all"

Then as she remembered all the circumstances which followed the dinner for which Katy had dressed with soof the letter, a wild conjecture passed through her mind as to the nature of the trouble which had taken Katy to Silverton in her husband's absence, leaving a letter for hi it up when she came back, accompanied by Dr Grant For that he did come with her Esther was sure, as she saw hi, and knew thefor her to take his na in the wind," she thought, as she carried Morris' name to Katy, who did not seem to hear, or if she did, she paid no heed, but talked of the blinding snow, and the grave in St Mary's churchyard, which was no grave at all

Her irl, who retreated down the stairs, rasped his arm: "You are a doctor, Dr Grant Come, then, to Mrs Cameron She is taken out of her head, and talks so queer and raving"