“I am not so sure of that, Miss Mary,” said Repton, doubtingly,--“I 'm not so sure of that.” And, with crossed arms and bent-down head, he paced the room slowly back and forwards. “Ay,” muttered he to himself, “Thursday night--Friday, at all events--will close the record. I can speak to evidence on the morning, and be back here again some time in the night. Of course it is a duty,--it is more than a duty.” Then he added, aloud, “There 's the moon breaking out, and a fine breezy sky. I 'll take the road, Miss Mary, and, with your good leave, I 'll drink tea with you on Friday evening. Nay, my dear, the rule is made absolute.” “I agree,” said she, “if it secures me a longer visit on your return.” A few moments afterwards saw Repton seated in the corner of his chaise, and hurrying onward at speed. His eyes soon closed in slumber, and as he sank off to rest, his lips murmured gently, “My Lord, in rising to address the Court, under circumstances of no ordinary difficulty, and in a case where vast interest, considerable influence, and, I may add--may add--” The words died away, and he was asleep. CHAPTER XVII. LADY DOROTHEA'S LETTER Though it was late when Repton took his departure, Mary Martin felt no inclination for sleep, but addressed herself at once to examine the letter bag, whose contents seemed more than usually bulky. Amid a mass of correspondence about the estate, she came at length upon the foreign letters, of which there were several from the servants to their friends or relations at Cro' Martin,--all, as usual, under cover to Miss Martin; and at last she found one in Lady Dorothea's own hand, for herself,--a very rare occurrence; nay, indeed, it was the first epistle her Ladyship had favored her with since her departure. It was not, then, without curiosity as to the cause that Mary broke the large seal and read as follows:-- “Carlsruhe, Saturday Evening, Cour de Bade. “My dear Niece,--It was only yesterday, when looking over your uncle's papers, I chanced upon a letter of yours, dated some five or six weeks back, and which, to my great astonishment, I discovered had never been communicated to me,--though this mark of deficient confidence will doubtless seem less surprising to _you_.