"Stuff and nonsense! What is the Squire to you, except as one of the Family. You'd better mind your station, Hetty, and leave your betters to themselves. If you don't you'll get into awful trouble some day. But now the night is going on, and we've got something to do. Tell me again how that murder was done." "The Squire ran at Mr. Frere, and the point of his stick ran into Mr. Frere's eye." "What did he do with the stick?" "He went to a copse of young alders and thrust it into the middle. Oh, it's safe enough." "Nothing of the kind--it isn't safe at all. How do you know they won't cut those alders down and find the stick? Mr. Robert's walking-stick is well known--it has a silver plate upon it with his name. Years hence people may come across that stick, and all the county will know at once who it belonged to. Come along, Hetty--you and I have our work to do." "What is that, Aunt Fanny?" "Before the morning dawns we must bury that stick where no one will find it." "Oh, Aunt, don't ask me--I can't go back to the Plain again." "You can and must--I wouldn't ask you, but I couldn't find the exact spot myself. I'll go down first and have a word with Armitage, and then return to you." Mrs. Armitage softly unlocked the door of her niece's room, and going first to her own bedroom, washed her ashen face with cold water; she then rubbed it hard with a rough towel to take some of the tell-tale expression out of it. Afterward she stole softly downstairs. Her husband was busy in the taproom. She opened the door, and called his name. "Armitage, I want you a minute." "Mercy on us, I thought you were in bed an hour ago, wife," he said. "Why, you do look bad, what's the matter?" "It isn't me, it's the child--she's hysterical. I've been having no end of a time with her; I came down to say that I'd sleep with Hetty to-night. Good-night, Armitage." "Good-night," said the man. "I say, wife, though," he called after her, "see that you are up in good time to-morrow." "Never fear," exclaimed Mrs. Armitage, as she ascended the creaking stairs, "I'll be down and about at six." She re-entered her niece's bedroom and locked the door. "How did you get out last night?" she asked. "Through the window." "Well, you're a nice one. This is not the time to scold you, however, and you and I have got to go out the same way now. They'll think we are in our bed--let them think it. Come, be quick--show me the way out. It's a goodish step from here to the Plain; we've not a minute to lose, and not a soul must see us going or returning." Mrs. Armitage was nearly as slender and active as her niece. She accomplished the descent from the window without the least difficulty, and soon she and Hetty were walking quickly in the direction of the Plain--they kept well in the shadow of the road and did not meet a soul the entire way. During that walk neither woman spoke a word to the other. Presently they reached the Plain. Hetty trembled as she stood by the alder copse.