"You're one of those who answer their own questions, I see," said he with perfect calmness. "I've met lots o' that sort in my travels, and I never found 'em do so much good as those that waited. All you've been saying's Greek to me. Who's Sir Charles Mitford? I've heard of him, of course, as the swell that lives in that house. They've never done talking of him at the Mitford Arms and all about there. But what's he to do with you? I suppose it don't matter to him who his friends' governesses is. He's not sweet on you, is he? If so, he wouldn't want you to go away. And what's he to do with me? and how's he likely to hear of my having been in the place? I haven't left my card upon him, I promise you," said Mr. Effingham with a grim humour. Miss Gillespie looked at him hard, very hard. But his perfect command of feature had often stood Mr. Effingham in good stead, and it did not desert him now. The saucy laughter on his lips corresponded with the easy bantering tone of his voice; he sat swinging his legs and sucking his stick, the incarnation of insolence. So far he was triumphant. She waited a minute or two, biting her lips, and turning her plans in her mind. Then she said, "Granting what you say--and it was rather a preposterous proposition of mine, I admit--you are still a puppet in somebody's hands. You had no knowledge of my previous life, and yet you come to me and say I must come away at once with you. Why must I come away?" "Because you're wanted." "And by whom?" "By the crew of the Albatross. Ah, I thought you wouldn't be quite so much amused and so full of your grins when I mentioned them." "Oh," said she, recovering herself, "I can still grin when there's anything to amuse me. But we seem to have changed places; now _you_'re talking riddles which I cannot understand." "Can't you? then I must explain them for you. If what I'm told is right--but it's very little I know--you belonged to that crew yourself once. My brother Tony was one of them, I understand; and though he's dead now, there's several of 'em left. Old Lyons, for instance,--you recollect him? Crockett, Griffiths--" "Suppose, to avoid giving you further trouble, I say I do recollect them, what then?" "You're angry, although you smile; I can see that fast enough. But what's the good of being angry with me? You know when a feller gets into their hands what chance he has. You know that fast enough, or ought to. Well, I'm in their hands, and have to do what they order me." "And they've ordered you to come down to me?" "They found out where you were, and sent me after you." "Ha! And what on earth can have induced them, after a certain lapse of time, to be so suddenly solicitous of my welfare?" said Miss Gillespie, laughingly. "There was never any great love between any of those you have named and myself. I have no money for them to rob me of, nor do I see that I can be of any great use to them."