The next day my brothers left us, and but for the anticipation of the pleasure in store for me which Jocelyn had told me of, I should have felt very low-spirited indeed. The morning following turned my hope into certainty. Mother opened a letter at the breakfast-table whose contents she read with evident satisfaction. In it was enclosed a note in Isabel's handwriting which mother passed on to me. It was quite short, just expressing her pleasure at the prospect of seeing me "so soon," and a few words added as a postscript increased my own excitement and satisfaction in the prospect of my visit to Millflowers. These were the words:--"I am doubly glad you are coming now," she wrote, "because something very strange, or rather unusual, has happened in connection with our local mystery, and I do so want to tell you about it. I am afraid I am a gossip at heart!" I felt my face grow red with eagerness. Mother watching me, naturally attributed my excitement solely to pleasure at the invitation. I thought you would be delighted, she said, full of sympathy _as_ usual. "I have purposely not spoken of it to you before till it was quite settled. There was a little uncertainty about Isabel's plans, as her sisters had talked of taking her away to pay some visits, but in the end this has been given up. So it is all right. You will start about this day week with Maple. It is rather a long journey, but Mr Wynyard has let me know all the trains. You will get there by daylight." "Oh, I shouldn't mind how late I travelled with Maple," I said, for my maid had been with us since my childhood; though indeed, to tell the truth, my love of adventure would have found a good deal of attraction in the idea of travelling quite alone. And the next few days passed quickly and pleasantly, mother sharing to the full my own happy expectations. It _was_ a long journey, for the Wynyards' home was as decidedly in the North as ours was in the South. But I enjoyed it, especially when we got into a part of the world that was quite new to me. For though I had travelled so much, there had been no great variety in our movements, which had always been southwards. My own country was but little known to me. The evening was drawing in when we reached our last stopping-place, the nearest station to Millflowers, by name Scart Bridge. And here a pleasant surprise awaited me, for on the platform stood Isabel herself, all smiles and welcome--"prettier than ever," I thought to myself as I kissed her. "How nice of you to have come yourself," I said, "for it is a long drive, isn't it?" "Not so very long, after all," she replied. "I always enjoy meeting people so much--it is not like seeing them off. _You_ have had a long journey, though," she went on. "Aren't you very tired?" "Not a bit," I replied. "It has all been so new to me. I have never been in this sort of country before."