The dinner at the Gap was over, and Miss Elmore, the headmistress, was established in an arm-chair, listening to the outpouring of her former pupil and the happy mother about all the felicities and glories of their present life, the only drawback being the dullness and obstructiveness of the immediate neighbours. 'I thought Miss Merrifield was your neighbour--Mesa?' 'Oh no--quite impossible! These are Merrifields, but the daughters are two regular old goodies, wrapped up in Sunday schools and penny clubs.' 'Well, that is odd! The editor of the --- came down in the train with me, and said he was going to see Mesa--Miss Elizabeth Merrifield.' 'I do think it is very unfair,' began Arthurine; but at that moment the door-bell rang. 'How strange at this time!' 'Oh! perhaps the editor is coming here!' cried Arthurine. 'Did you tell him _I_ lived here, Miss Elmore?' 'Admiral Merrifield,' announced the parlour-maid. He had resolved not to summon the young lady in private, as he thought there was more chance of common-sense in the mother. 'You are surprised to see me at this time,' he said; 'but Mrs. Rudden is perplexed by a communication from you.' 'Mrs. Rudden!' exclaimed Arthurine. 'Why, I only sent her word that I was too busy to go through her accounts to-day, and asked her to come to-morrow. That isn't against the laws of the Medes and Persians, is it?' 'Then did you send her this letter?' 'I?' said Arthurine, staring at it, with her eyes at their fullest extent. 'I! fifty pounds! Mr. Foxholm! What does it mean?' 'Then you never wrote that order?' 'No! no! How should I?' 'That is not your writing?' 'No, not that.' 'Look at the signature.' 'Oh! oh! oh!'--and she dropped into a chair. 'The horrible man! That's the autograph I gave him this afternoon.' 'You are sure?' 'Quite; for my pen spluttered in the slope of the A. Has she gone and given it to him?' 'No. She brought it to me, and set the policeman to watch him.' 'What a dear, good woman! Shall you send him to prison, Admiral Merrifield? What can be done to him?' said Arthurine, not looking at all as if she would like to abrogate capital punishment. 'Well, I had been thinking,' said the Admiral. 'You see he did not get it, and though I could commit him for endeavouring to obtain money on false pretences, I very much doubt whether the prosecution would not be worse for you than for him.' 'That is very kind of you, Admiral!' exclaimed the mother. 'It would be terribly awkward for dear Arthurine to stand up and say he cajoled her into giving her autograph. It might always be remembered against her!' 'Exactly so,' said the Admiral; 'and perhaps there may be another reason for not pushing the matter to extremity. The man is a stranger here, I believe.' 'He has been staying at Bonchamp,' said Mrs. Arthuret. 'It was young Mr. Mytton who brought him over this afternoon.' 'Just so. And how did he come to be aware that Mrs. Rudden owed you any money?'