Today | News | Books | Recipes Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History Booktage!' I turned round in surprise, to see a young man who was a perfect stranger to me. Lifting his hat politely, he begged for the honour of a few words with me. I was both amazed and indignant, and somewhat loftily informed him that I was not in the habit of conversing with total strangers; so saying, I was walking on, when he interrupted me, and begged me to listen, for Edith Thorndyke's sake. 'My father, Dr Archer, was her father's oldest friend, Miss Armitage. My family is well known in this neighbourhood; and I live in the next village, Little Gorton, where I am in partnership with Dr Selby. You are well known to me by name, and for some time I have endeavoured to contrive an interview with you, in vain. I could not come up to the Hall,' he added, no doubt seeing amazement written on my face. 'The fact is, Miss Armitage, I love Edith Thorndyke; but her step-father considers my position inferior to hers, and refuses to allow me to see her until she is of age. Doubtless you are aware that she will inherit a great deal of property.' 'I strongly disapprove of discussing these family matters with a total stranger, sir,' I said, trying to move away. 'Also, Mr Foster has absolutely forbidden it.-Good-morning.' 'One moment!' he pleaded. 'Edith Thorndyke's very life may depend upon it! Have you heard the terms of her mother's will?' 'They are nothing to me, sir.' 'Oh, but please, Miss Armitage! I entreat you! Do listen to me! When Mrs Foster's first husband died, he left her some thousands a year, in addition to Gorton Hall and the estates, entirely at her own disposal. She married again, and died last year, when it was found that she had left her husband Edith's sole guardian until she should be twenty-one, when she would enter into the possession of the Thorndyke property. In case she died before attaining her majority, one half of the property would devolve upon Mr Foster, and half upon relatives of the Thorndykes. Even the half is a very large sum, Miss Armitage-quite enough to tempt a man like Mr Foster to-to-- In short, I sadly fear Edith Thorndyke will not be allowed to live until she is twenty-one.' 'This is downright madness!' I exclaimed. 'Mr Foster is the kindest and best of men-quite incapable of harbouring designs upon his step-daughter's life.' 'I know Lawrence Foster; you do not,' he answered quietly. 'I know him to be bold and cunning and unscrupulous. Edith believes in him and his sister; but she is sadly deceived. I hoped to be able to enlist you on my side, Miss Armitage, when I heard of your arrival at the Hall. I should be glad to feel sure that Edith has one disinterested friend in the house.' 'But I ought not to speak to you at all,' I said, feeling very uncomfortable. 'Mr Foster has strictly forbidden me to gossip with strangers.' 'Because he is afraid that you might hear the truth.' 'But if he is what you say, why does he have a companion for his step-daughter at all? I must be a check on his movements. I see all that goes on; he never hides anything from me.' 'Don't you see that your presence is an additional security for him? It disarms suspicion. Supposing Edith-well, died suddenly; people would say: "Miss Armitage was there; she knows all about it;" and no comment would be excited; whereas it would probably seem suspicious, at all events to the Thorndyke family, who are by no means satisfied with the terms of the will, if Edith were to die whilst living alone with Mr Foster and his sister. There can be no doubt that the money must be an immense temptation to him. He has nothing of his own. Ten thousand a year, and only one fragile girl's life in the way!' I must say the speaker's earnestness and unmistakable sincerity began to make an impression upon me. I had fancied once or twice that Mr Foster exercised an unusually close surveillance over Edith and me. Were Dr Archer's words true, and was I merely a lay-figure at Gorton Hall, to deceive the world? Had I been taken into society by my employers, and my praises trumpeted forth to all their acquaintances, merely in order that my presence should disarm suspicion? 'You have made me very uncomfortable,' I candidly confessed. 'Believe me, Miss Armitage, I would not have taken this course but that I was compelled by necessity. Edith's step-father has such a complete ascendency over her, that it is difficult to know what to do. But you are always with her, and can watch over her.' 'But I am only a paid companion, liable to dismissal at any time.' 'True; but I hope you will try and stay as long as you can, for Edith's sake.' 'I fear she is very delicate.' 'She is delicate; she needs care. But, as she gets older, her health will probably improve. There is really no reason, humanly speaking, why she should not live for many years. But I fear-I fear many things, but chiefly poison, slow and secret. Mr Foster is an accomplished chemist; and his antecedents-better known to me than to most people-give me little confidence in him. If you knew as much as I do about him, Miss Armitage, you would not wonder at my suspicions. But be sure of this: there is danger. I have no proof against Mr Foster, and therefore cannot interfere in any way. Promise, promise me, Miss Armitage, that you will inform me of everything suspicious that you may see from this time. Here is my address.' I hastily took the proffered card and gave the promise, anxious to return before Mrs Morrell should be uneasy at my absence. She laughingly remarked that the sermon must have been unusually long, and in a casual manner asked what was the text. Luckily, I was able to supply chapter and verse and a lengthy catalogue of my fellow-worshippers. It then struck me for the first time that if, by chance, I was allowed to go out alone, either Mr Foster or Mrs Morrell might find out, by skilfully put questions, everything I had said, seen, and done. Now that suspicion had once entered my mind, I saw grounds for it everywhere, as might have been expected. The most absurd fancies entered into my head. I persuaded Edith in secret to lock her door at night before retiring to rest, which she had never done before. I do not know what I expected to happen. The precaution was a senseless one; for the foes I was fighting against were far too clever and subtle to contemplate anything so foolish as commonplace midnight murder. I will do my employers the justice to say that with all this I spent a delightful summer. They took Edith and me to Scotland for a two months' tour; and I never enjoyed a holiday so much. A more charming cicerone than Mr Foster could not be. Then we went back to Gorton, and settled down for the winter. For some time, absolutely nothing of any importance occurred. I wrote occasionally a brief, reassuring, cautious note to Dr Archer, but carefully refrained from speaking when we met, to avert suspicion. Edith and I grew daily more attached; and nothing could exceed my employers' kindness. Edith had been decidedly bet |