In a few minutes Aldridge entered the room, and having expressed his regrets and hopes, and received suitable replies, Grey's first question was: "Have you told anyone of the contents of that telegram?" "No." "You are sure?" "Quite sure." "Tell no one on the face of the earth." "I promise not." "Aldridge, I have known you some time, and I have every reason to believe and trust you. I am under many obligations to you. Keep this matter entirely to yourself, and you will double all my gratitude." "Rely on me." "It may leak out through the telegraph office or through Barraclough. I want you to go back to Daneford at once, see Evans, and tell him not to say anything of my illness. This is most important. Now go. Barraclough may have told Evans. Go at once." "Any further orders?" "No." "I have paid Sir William Midharst's cheque for twenty thousand." "All right. Don't lose a moment. Don't miss the first train." Grey fell back exhausted. Though his head ached, it felt clearer than for many weeks. "It would never do," he thought, "to have all Daneford gossiping over the infirmities of a man who must one of these days be a candidate bridegroom. The least said about me the better. I have neither the humour nor the strength for criticism or sympathy at present." It was several days before he was well enough to go home. He went back straight to Daneford. The evening of his arrival he strolled through the city, and took no heed of the direction in which he had wandered until he was attracted by something unusual in a house over the way. The front of the house was all dark. It was his mother's house. The piers of the gate were covered with auction bills announcing in a few days the sale of the lease and furniture. He had, until now, forgotten what Barraclough had told him. All rushed in upon his mind. "She is going to sell her annuity, her lease, her furniture, poor old woman; and I, the only trustee living, cannot prevent her, cannot approach her. Poor old woman! Wat Grey, I never pitied you until this moment." PART III. HUSBAND AND WIFE. CHAPTER I. THE SECRET OF THE SALE. Grey had taken all the precautions in his power to prevent a report of his illness spreading, because he did not wish anything to get abroad which might make his approaches to Maud seem unreasonable. That was an important consideration. But it sank into insignificance beside the enormous danger likely to arise from the concentration of public attention upon him at this time.