What had John Jago said to her? I put the question with all needful
delicacy, making my apologies beforehand.

"I should like to tell _you_," she began, with a strong emphasis on the
last word.

There she stopped. She turned pale; then suddenly flushed again to the
deepest red. She took up the knife once more, and went on cleaning it
as industriously as ever.

"I mustn't tell you," she resumed, with her head down over the knife.
"I have promised not to tell anybody. That's the truth. Forget all
about it, sir, as soon as you can. Hush! here's the spy who saw us last
night on the walk and who told Silas!"

Dreary Miss Meadowcroft opened the kitchen door. She carried an
ostentatiously large Prayer-book; and she looked at Naomi as only a
jealous woman of middle age _can_ look at a younger and prettier woman
than herself.

"Prayers, Miss Colebrook," she said in her sourest manner. She paused,
and noticed me standing under the window. "Prayers, Mr. Lefrank," she
added, with a look of devout pity, directed exclusively to my address.

"We will follow you directly, Miss Meadowcroft," said Naomi.

"I have no desire to intrude on your secrets Miss Colebrook."

With that acrid answer, our priestess took herself and her Prayer-book