He appeared aroused by the tone—or the looks—and went out at once, opening the sheets of the newspaper as he did so. Madame de Mellissie demanded of Hill what he was wanted for. "I hardly know what, ma'am. Something very sad, I fear, has happened." Emily started to her feet. "Hill, that letter never contained bad news from India?—from Sir Thomas?" "It has got bad news of some sort in it, for certain," was Hill's rejoinder. "My lady gave a great scream before she had read three lines, and said some confused words about her 'darling son Thomas.' The fear upon me, ma'am, is, that he has been hurt in battle." Worse than that! worse than that! It came upon me with a prevision as I thought of the black seal and the strange handwriting. Emily, impulsive in all she did, went running up to the west wing. While I waited alone for them to return with some news, good or bad, I heard Mrs. Penn come in and accost Lizzy Dene, who was rubbing the brasses in the hall. "Where is the letter I gave you last night?" she curtly demanded, her tone very sharp. "Why, ma'am, what's the use of asking me?" returned the undaunted Lizzy, after a faint pause. "Mr. Edwin Barley's people must know more about that." "The letter you delivered was not my letter." "Not your letter!" repeated Lizzy Dene, evidently affecting the most genuine surprise. "I don't know what you mean, ma'am." "The letter you left at Mr. Edwin Barley's, instead of being the one I handed to you, was some rubbishing circular of the fashions. How dared you do such a thing?" "My goodness me!" exclaimed Lizzy. "To think of that! But, Mrs. Penn, it's not possible." "Don't talk to me about its not being possible! You have been wilfully careless. I must have my letter produced." "I declare to goodness I don't know where it is, or what has become of it, if—as you say, ma'am, it was not the one I gave in to the young man," spoke Lizzy, this time with real earnestness. I had a letter of fashions in my basket; but it's odd I could make such a mistake! "You did make it," Mrs. Penn angrily rejoined. "Where is the letter now?" "Ma'am, I can't imagine. It must have been spirited away." "Don't talk nonsense to me about 'spirited.' If you gave in the one for the other, you must still have had my letter left in your basket. What did you do with it?" "If you offered me a thousand pounds to tell, I couldn't," was Lizzy's answer. "Looking upon it as nothing but a letter of the fashions, I thought it was of no moment, else I remember opening my basket after leaving Mr. Barley's, and seeing there was nothing in it. I wondered then what could have gone with the fashions. I'm sure, ma'am, I am verry sorry."