“Hester, your curiosity will be your undoing,” said Leah, giving the girl a grim smile which flitted across her strong face for a moment and then disappeared. “Are you often disturbed by your charge at night, Mrs. Leah?” queried Jacob. “Now and then,” replied Leah, “but often for a whole month the poor lady sleeps without rocking. It is wonderful what good nights she has, all things considered; she is often more restless in the daytime than she is at night.” “And are the rats as troublesome as they were?” suddenly asked Hester. “No; the last poison had good effect,” replied Leah, turning her back as she spoke. “Are you troubled with rats?” asked Jacob. “Why don’t you keep a cat?” “Mrs. Cameron hates cats,” answered Leah. “It is one of her illusions, poor thing, that she is pursued by a black cat. She would not see one within a yard of her at any price.” “If I were you, Mr. Jacob Short,” said Hester with a quick, sudden movement which brought her directly facing the new footman, “I’d ask to see the cellars of this house. The cellars are, to my way of thinking, very curious.” Her dark eyes flashed as she spoke. “To be sure,” replied Jacob; “that is, if I am not giving too much trouble.” “Well, you are, and that’s plain,” replied Leah. “There is nothing at all wonderful in the cellars; they run under the house. For that matter, I believe they run under the whole of Rowton Heights. I like houses with cellars, for my part; they keep the sitting-rooms so much drier. It is a pity, of course, the rats have got into them; but, as I said just now to Hester, they have not troubled us very much lately. Come to the kitchen, if you like, and I’ll show you the door which leads into the principal cellar.” They went downstairs, explored a small and well-appointed kitchen, and a short time afterwards the footman and Hester bade Leah a cordial good-night, and returned to the house. “Now, you must never tell on me,” said Hester as they walked back over the grass, for Leah had let them out from the Queen Anne garden. “If it was known that I had shown you the mad lady’s wing, it would be as much as my place was worth.” “I have no object in betraying you,” said Jacob in a sharp voice. “And what do you think of it?” said Hester, after a pause. “I think nothing of it,” answered Jacob, “only that my master must be a very considerate gentleman.” “Yes, that he is,” replied Hester; “it is not everyone would keep a mad sister close to him, and so comfortable, too.” “Exactly,” replied Jacob. “It is a good thing the rats are not so troublesome now,” continued Hester. “Very good,” said Jacob. The maid favoured him with a glance of some irritation. “You must be a ninny,” she said, after a pause. “I don’t understand you, Miss Winsome,” replied the new footman. “Well, now, just tell me plain out and honest,” returned the girl, “if you believe that story about the rats?” “I have no reason to disbelieve it,” he answered. “Have you?” “Yes, that I have.”