I felt pretty sure now that Amelia was not in the plot. "Will you give a message to Hatty?" I said. "If it be not too long to remember." "Tell her I wanted her to spend the day, and my Aunt Dorothea writ to ask her to come, and Mrs Crossland returned answer that she had too bad a catarrh, and must keep indoors for some days." "Did she--to Mrs Desborough?" said Amelia, with a surprised look. "I rather wonder at that, too." "Emily, help me!" I said. "These Crosslands want to keep Hatty and me apart. There is something wrong going on. Do help us, if you ever cared for either of us." Amelia looked quite astonished and nuzzled. "Really, I knew nothing about it! Of course I care for you, Cary. But what can I do?" "Give that message to Hatty. Bid her, from me, break through the snares, and come. Then we can see what must be done next." "I will give her the message," said Amelia, with what was energy for her. "Cary, I have had nothing to do with it, if something be wrong. I never even guessed it." "I don't believe you have," said I. "But tell me one thing, Emily: are they scheming to make Hatty marry Mr Crossland?" "Most certainly not!" cried Amelia, with more warmth than I had thought was in her. "Impossible! Why, Mr Crossland is engaged to Marianne Newton." "Is Miss Marianne Newton a friend of yours?" "Yes, the dearest friend I have." "Then you will be on my side. Keep your eyes and ears open, and find out what it is. I tell you, something is wrong. Put yourself in the breach; help Miss Marianne, if you like; but, for pity's sake, save Hatty!" "But what makes you suppose that what is wrong has anything to do with Mr Crossland?" "I do not know why I fancy it; but I do. I cannot let the idea go. I do not like the look of him. He does not look like a true man." "Cary, you have grown up since you came to London." "I feel like somebody's grandmother," said I. "But I think I have been growing; to it, Amelia, since I left Brocklebank." "Well, you certainly are much less of a child than you were. I will do my best, Cary." And Amelia looked as if she meant it. "But take no one into your confidence," said I.--"Least of all Charlotte." "Thank you, I don't need that warning!" said Amelia, with her languid laugh, as she furled her fan and turned away. And as I passed on the other side I came upon Ephraim Hebblethwaite. All at once my resolution was taken. "Come this way, Ephraim," said I; "I want to show you my Uncle Charles's new engravings." I lifted down the large portfolio, with Ephraim's help,--I don't think Ephraim would let a cat jump down by itself if he thought the jump too far,--set it on a little table, and under cover of the engravings I told him the whole story, and all my uneasiness about Hatty. He listened very attentively, but without showing either the surprise or the perplexity which Amelia had done.