"Not far from here."

"Deceived, as Edward was. John saw our new neighbour, Mr. Willet."

"Maybe so, and maybe not; and I am strongly inclined to believe in
the maybe not. As for that Lyon, I have no faith in him, and never
had, as you know, from the beginning. And I shouldn't be at all
surprised if he were prowling about here, trying to get stolen
interviews with Fanny."

"Grace! How dare you suggest such a thing?" exclaimed Mrs. Markland,
with an energy and indignation almost new to her character.

Grace was rather startled by so unexpected a response from her
sister-in-law, and for a moment or two looked abashed.

"Better be scared than hurt, you know, Agnes," she replied, coolly,
as soon as she had recovered herself.

"Not if scared by mere phantoms of our own diseased imaginations,"
said Mrs. Markland.

"There is something more solid than a phantom in the present case,
I'm afraid. What do you suppose takes Fanny away so often, all by
herself, to the Fountain Grove?"

"Grace Markland! What can you mean by such a question?" The mother
of Fanny looked frightened.

"I put the question to you for answer," said Grace, coolly. "The