The visitor went away. Neal closed the street-door upon her and turned to behold his young mistress at that of the dining-room, a scared look in her eyes, a white shade upon her face. "Neal! what has that young "--Sara hesitated between the words _person_ and _lady_, but chose the former--"person to do with Captain Davenal?" She had spoken without reflection in her impulse; in her renewed fear, which she had deemed buried with the past. Neal for once in his life was confounded. He did not speak immediately; he was probably striving to recall what had been said, inconvenient for her to hear. "Tell me at once, Neal; I insist on your speaking," she reiterated, attributing his hesitation to unwillingness to speak. "Indeed it is better that I should know it. What was she saying about my brother?" That alarm of some nature had been aroused within her, that she was painfully anxious, and that the alarm and anxiety were connected with Captain Davenal, Neal could not fail to read. But his speech was certainly less ready than usual, for he still kept silence. "I heard you tell her that Captain Davenal was married; that further news would be in by the next mail," pursued Sara, growing more inwardly perturbed with every moment. "What was it to her? Who is she? For what purpose did she come here? Neal, _can't_ you answer me?" and her voice grew quite shrill with its alarm and pain. "Miss Sara--if I hesitated to answer, it is that I do not like to speak," he said at length. "I tell the young woman she must be mistaken in what she says--that it _can't_ be. But she won't hear me." "What is it that she says? Have you seen her before today?" "She has been here once or twice before. But for understanding that you and my mistress were out I should not have allowed her to come in this time. I am very sorry that it should have happened, miss." "But what _is_ it?" returned Sara, nearly wild with suspense. "What has she come for?" "She has come to ask questions about Captain Davenal." "But _what_ about him? What is he to her?" Neal coughed. He took out his handsome silk handkerchief--he always used very handsome ones--and wiped his mouth. Sara trembled. His manner was unpleasantly mysterious, and it seemed that she was on the verge of hearing something terrible. "Does she know my brother?" "She says she does. Miss Sara, I would have given a great deal to prevent this happening today. It will only worry you, and I daresay I could still have put her off and kept her quiet." "Neal, tell me the worst," she cried, her voice and heart alike growing faint. "I must hear it now." "Well, Miss Sara, she says she is the wife of Captain Davenal." "She--says--she--is--the--wife--of--Captain Davenal!" The words were echoed slowly in very astonishment, a pause between each. Vague as her fears had been they had not touched on this.