Perhaps very few people suffered more exquisite torture than did Mrs Fortescue after she left Colonel Arbuthnot's house. Oh! if only she had been good to Florence during that week. Oh! if only she had done just-- just what she had not done! She was like many another unfortunate man or woman in this world which contains so many failures! She had acted in the worst possible way at the crucial moment. She had missed her chance. The girls were rich after all, and yet she had given Florence a ham bone for breakfast! She walked fast, trying to cool down after the blow which, it is to be feared, Colonel Arbuthnot rather rejoiced in giving her. Suddenly, an idea came to her. If she was suffering, why should not Major Reid share her tortures? How impertinent he had been to her that morning! But she was right after all--right, not wrong. That silly fool of a Michael--if only he had been true to his heart's instincts-- would have won an heiress, and perhaps an heiress to a far greater extent than even Mrs Fortescue's dreams had pictured. "I will go to see the man. This is really a good story and one worth telling," thought the widow. She turned in the direction of the Moat. The Moat was a little way outside Langdale, and you had to go up a somewhat steep hill to reach it. It was an old-fashioned house, surrounded by overshadowing trees. Even in summer it was not very bright, and in winter it was a hopelessly damp, deserted-looking place. Mrs Fortescue marched up the avenue with a determined stride and rang the bell by the front door. It was opened by a slatternly-looking servant. The Major's house was not kept well. In all respects, it was a contrast to the Grange, where the Arbuthnots managed to make every penny do its utmost work. Nobody cared what became of things at the old Moat, and there was hardly a more miserable old man than Major Reid, as he sat now at his lunch table, trying to find something tasty and agreeable in his badly-done chop. Mrs Fortescue, who was feeling so fierce that she would dare anything, followed in the steps of Colonel Arbuthnot and said quickly--"I know your master is in: I must see him at once on important business." The girl made way for her, and Mrs Fortescue's instinct drew her to the dining-room. She opened the door and burst in. "I have news--great news for you, Major Reid." "Madam!" said the Major. He started to his feet. His first furious request to ask this interloper to make herself scarce died on his lips. He looked into her face. She came close to him and looked into his. "Major," she said; "we have been the victims of a conspiracy--yes, of a base, base conspiracy. It is my opinion that the Arbuthnots were in the secret from the first, and that hat accounts for their sneaking, fawning ways. How I do loathe people of that sort. So different from you and me--so, so different!" "You astonish me," began the Major. "The Arbuthnots--pray take a seat--"