She went pushing about amongst the porters and the trucks, and secured the luggage. One not very large black box went up by Wall; a smaller inside with us. So we drove out of the station in state, luggage and all, Cattledon holding her head bolt upright. "How is Janet, Johnny Ludlow?" "Quite well, thank you." "And those two children of hers--are they very troublesome?" "Indeed, no; they are the best little things you ever saw. I wanted to bring the boy with me to meet you, but Janet would not let me." "Um!" grunted Cattledon: "showed a little sense for once. What is that building?" "That's the Town Hall. I thought you knew Lefford, Miss Cattledon?" "One cannot be expected to retain the buildings of a town in one's head as if they were photographed there," returned she in a sharp tone of reproof. Which shut me up. "And, pray, how does that young woman continue to conduct herself?" she asked presently. "What young woman?" I said, believing she must be irreverently alluding to Janet. "Lettice Lane." Had she mentioned the name of some great Indian Begum I could not have been more surprised. _That_ name brought back to memory all the old trouble connected with Miss Deveen's emeralds, their loss and their finding: which, take it for all in all, was nothing short of a romance. But why did she question _me_ about Lettice Lane. I asked her why. "I asked it to be answered, young man," was Cattledon's grim retort. "Yes, of course," I said, with deprecation. "But how should I know anything about Lettice Lane?" "If there's one thing I hate more than another, Johnny Ludlow, it is shuffling. I ask you how that young woman is going on; and I request you to answer me." "Indeed, I would if I could. I don't understand why you should ask me. Is Lettice Lane not living still with you--with Miss Deveen?" Cattledon evidently thought I _was_ shuffling, for she looked daggers at me. "Lettice Lane," she said, "is with Janet Knox." "With Janet Knox! Oh dear, no, she is not." "Don't you get into a habit of contradicting your elders, Johnny Ludlow. It is very unbecoming in a young man." "But--see here, Miss Cattledon. If Lettice were living with Janet, I must have seen her. I see the servants every day. I assure you Lettice is not one of them." She began to see that I was in earnest, and condescended to explain in her stiff way. "Janet came to town last May to spend a week with us," she said. "Before that, Lettice Lane had been complaining of not feeling strong: I thought it was nothing but her restlessness; Miss Deveen and the doctor thought she wanted country air--that London did not agree with her. Janet was parting with her nurse at the time; she engaged Lettice to replace her, and brought her down to Lefford. Is the matter clear to you now, young man?" "Quite so. But indeed, Miss Cattledon, Lettice is not with Janet now. The nurse is named Harriet, and she is not in the least like Lettice Lane."