"But he said nothing about it a few hours ago," she exclaimed. "You are in his confidence, I know. This morning he gave me something to do. I was to get Mr. Blatherwick away from the Hall, and keep him with me as long as I could. You do not know Mr. Blatherwick? then you cannot sympathise with me. Since ten o'clock I have been with him. At last I could keep him no longer. He has gone back to the Hall." "Mr. Sabin will probably write to you," Helène said. "This house is taken for another fortnight, and you can of course remain here, if you choose. You will certainly hear from him within the next day or two." Miss Merton shrugged her shoulders. "Well, I shall take a holiday," she declared. "I've finished typing all the copy I had. Haven't you dropped something there?" She stooped suddenly forward, and picked up a locket from the floor. "Is this yours?" she asked. "Why----" She held the locket tightly in her hand. Her eyes seemed rivetted upon it. It was very small and fashioned of plain gold, with a coronet and letter on the face. Miss Merton looked at it in amazement. "Why, this belongs to Wolf--to Lord Wolfenden," she exclaimed. Helène looked at her in cold surprise. "It is very possible," she said. "He was here a short time ago." Miss Merton clenched the locket in her hand, as though she feared for its safety. "Here! In this room?" "Certainly! He called to see Mr. Sabin and remained for some time." Miss Merton was a little paler. She did not look quite so pretty now. "Did you see him?" she asked. Helène raised her eyebrows. "I scarcely understand," she said, "what business it is of yours. Since you ask me, however, I have no objection to telling you that I did see Lord Wolfenden. He remained some time here with me after Mr. Sabin left." "Perhaps," Miss Merton suggested, with acidity, "that was why I was sent out of the way." Helène looked at her through half-closed eyes. "I am afraid," she said, "that you are a very impertinent young woman. Be so good as to put that locket upon the table and leave the room." The girl did neither. On the contrary, she slipped the locket into the bosom of her gown. "I will take care of this," she remarked. Helène laid her hand upon the bell. "I am afraid," she said, "that you must be unwell. I am going to ring the bell. Perhaps you will be good enough to place the locket on that table and leave the room." Miss Merton drew herself up angrily. "I have a better claim upon the locket than any one," she said. "I am seeing Lord Wolfenden constantly. I will give it to him." "Thank you, you need not trouble," Helène answered. "I shall send a servant with it to Deringham Hall. Will you be good enough to give it to me?" Miss Merton drew a step backwards and shook her head. "I think," she said, "that I am more concerned in it than you are, for I gave it to him." "You gave it to him?" Miss Merton nodded. "Yes! If you don't believe me, look here."