looking creature. She is dangerously ill."

The girl answered straightforwardly, gazing round her the while in
open-eyed admiration.

"Do you know her name?"

"We call her old Miriam; she refuses to tell her name. I have done
little things for her since she has been ill, and she begged me so hard
to fetch you this letter that I could not refuse."

"Do you know its contents?"

"Only that you are expected to return with me. She told me that she had
something to say to you that you would give half your life to hear."

"Is the house far from this?"

"Yes, miss, a long way; but I came in a carriage. It is waiting round
the corner. Miriam told me to hurry; that it was a matter of life or
death, and she gave me money to pay for the hack. It was absolutely
necessary you should know, she said, before you married any one."

Mollie mused a moment. She never thought of doubting all this. Of
course, Miriam knew all about her, and of course it was likely she
would wish to tell her on her death-bed.

"I will go," she said, suddenly. "Wait one instant."

She summoned the servant, gave her the message that had caused such