It was now nearly ten o'clock, but Beatrice was too excited to think about breakfast. She found the great gates of The Camp wide open, and indeed since Alpenny's death they had been rarely closed. The gardens looked as beautiful as ever, but the railway carriages appeared a little deserted and forlorn. Beatrice walked at once towards the kitchen carriage, where she hoped to find Durban preparing his morning meal. He certainly was there, and with him was a red-headed, dirty little man in whom she recognised Waterloo. "Oh!" said Beatrice, recoiling from the door, for the mere sight of that evil face made her sick. "Blimme!" cried Waterloo, turning his rat-like eyes on her, "if it ain't old Alpenny's gal!" "Hold your tongue," said Durban in a low, fierce voice.--"What is it, missy?" "I have come to ask you for some breakfast," said Beatrice, retreating still further, so as to get away from Waterloo, "and to have a chat." "We'll all have a jaw," cried Waterloo enthusiastically; "we're all pals in the same boat." "What does this horrible creature mean?" asked Beatrice, looking appealingly at her old servant. "'Orrible critture!" yelped Waterloo. "Well, I likes that, I does. Oh yuss, not at all, by no means. Why, me an' your par were old pals." "Are you talking of Colonel Hall or of Mr. Alpenny?" asked Beatrice, taking a sudden step towards the man. The result of her remark and action surprised her not a little, and indeed seemed to surprise Durban also. "Colonel 'All!" muttered Waterloo, and his red hair rose on end over a rapidly paling face. "Oh! my stars, if you knows about him, it's time fur me to cut my lucky." "You know something?" cried Beatrice. "I know as old Alpenny murdered--murdered---- Here!" cried Waterloo, with a snarl, "you lemme out!" and before Beatrice could stop him--she was blocking the doorway--he had darted under her arm, and was running noiselessly out of The Camp. Apparently he was frightened out of his wits. Yet the girl wondered that so bold a thief, and a man accustomed to being in tight places, should be seized by so sudden an access of genuine terror. "What does it mean?" she asked Durban, but making no attempt to follow the man. "I know no more than you do, missy." "Durban," said Beatrice, entering the kitchen and taking a seat, "you have kept me in the dark long enough. You ran away just as this man has done, when I asked you about the Obi necklace. Now you must speak out, as I am leaving Hurstable." "Leaving this place, missy?" said Durban, startled. "Are you not to marry Mr. Paslow?" "How can I marry him when he has a wife living?" Durban did not seem to be so surprised at this news as she expected. "So you have found that out, missy?" he said slowly. "You knew about it?" "Yes, I knew; but I thought--I thought that she was dead."