"But you must now feel that your apprehensions were groundless; and if I should be placed in any fresh danger you must take courage from the past." "Perhaps you will say that I am grown very timorous, and I can scarcely account for my misgivings--but I will not conceal them. I don't think you are quite safe in this house." "Why not? Old Markland is devoted to me, I am quite sure, and no one else among the household is aware of my arrival." "But I am sadly afraid they may discover you." "You are indeed timorous. Even if I should be discovered, I don't think any of them would be base enough to betray me." "I have another ground for uneasiness, more serious than this, but I scarcely like to allude to it, because I may be doing an injustice to the person who causes my alarm. I fear you have an enemy in the house." Atherton looked at her inquiringly, and then said: "I can only have one enemy--Father Jerome." She made no answer, but he perceived from her looks that he had guessed aright. "'Tis unlucky he is established in the house. Why did you bring him here?" "I could not help it. And he has been most useful to me. But I know he does not like you; and I also know that his nature is malicious and vindictive. I hope he may not find out that you are concealed in the house. I have cautioned Markland, and Monica does not require to be cautioned. Ah! what was that?" she added, listening anxiously. "I thought I heard a noise in the adjoining chamber." "It may be Markland," said Atherton. "But I will go and see." With this, he stepped quickly into the next room, the door of which stood ajar. As we have mentioned, the shutters were closed, and the room was dark, but still, if any listener had been there, he must have been detected. The room, however, seemed quite empty. Not satisfied with this inspection, Atherton went on through the whole suite of apartments, and with a like result. "You must have been mistaken," he said on his return to Constance. "I could find no eaves-dropper." "I am glad to hear it, for I feared that a certain person might be there. But I must now leave you. I hope you will not find your confinement intolerably wearisome. You will be able to get out at night--but during the daytime you must not quit these rooms." "Come frequently to see me, and the time will pass pleasantly enough," he rejoined. "I must not come too often or my visits will excite suspicion," she replied. "But I will send you some books by Markland." "There is a private communication between this part of the house and the library. May I not venture to make use of it?" "Not without great caution," she rejoined. "Father Jerome is constantly in the library. But I will try to get him away in the evening, and Markland shall bring you word when you can descend with safety." "Surely some plan might be devised by which Father Jerome could be got rid of for a time?" said Atherton.