MRS. HADDAN'S HISTORY.
IN FOUR CHAPTERS. CHAPTER IV.

FOR a long time there was no sound of
voices or footsteps in the garden behind
me; and I was about to go away
disappointed, when I caught the crackling of
gravel in the distance, and the murmur of
voices coming nearer to me. They were
talking fast and low; but Becket's voice
was a little the louder, and its words
reached me.

"Not even to you, ma'am," she said.
"You are safe, and Lewis is safe. But as
long as I live——"

I could not catch what Mrs. Haddan
said, though she interrupted her here, but
Becket answered in a still louder tone:

"Safe!" she exclaimed, scornfully; "we
agreed it was safer with me than with you.
No, no. I've kept it so long, that I must
keep it still. I should have nothing to live
for else. I'm as strong as ever I was in
my life. Let anybody just try my strength
by trying to get it from me."

The last words came back to me from a
distance, for they had already passed my
hiding–place. A threat sounded in them
for me, and my heart quailed. Suppose
this mad woman should detect my purpose,
and murder me! What would George do?
I wished for the moment he knew where
I was, and what I was risking for his
sake. But my weakness lasted only for the
instant. I shook it off, and was strong
again.

I retraced my steps to the road, thinking
of Mrs. Haddan's failure to get back the
papers she had entrusted to Becket's care.
Would she give them up when Lewis came
of age, and could make a will? Or would
her monomania be strong enough to retain
them—a continual torment and anxiety to
Mrs. Haddan? Lewis would be of age in
a few weeks, and then she might enter into
complete triumph, if Becket would release
the charge she had once committed to her.
But if she would not!

The carriage had disappeared when I
regained the road, and I ventured to go
on to the house. Mrs. Townshend herself
opened the door to me, in her best
headdress, and with a bland smile.

''You have just missed seeing Mrs.
Haddan, of Haddan Lodge," she said. "I
should have taken the liberty of
introducing you to her if you'd only been in.
She'd have bought some of your paintings,
perhaps."

Here was a peril I had escaped by my
fortunate absence! I could not help
wondering what would have been the result of
Mrs. Haddan finding me in the same house
as Becket; and I stood silent at the foot
of the staircase, staring at Mrs. Townshend.

"Have you met with better luck
today?" she asked.

"A little," I answered, stammering. "I
have not failed altogether this time."

I went on, up into my dreary room.
From its window I could see Becket striding
to and fro in a state of suppressed excitement,
with a firm, despotic tread, and with
her hands tightly clenched in front of her.
She saw me at the window, and nodded
with an air of friendly patronage. It
aggravated me sorely, but I nodded in return,
and went away, lest she should suspect
that I was watching her.

For the next few days I never lost sight
of her, whenever I could possibly be in her
presence. My new satchel was carefully
concealed under my dress, at hand if any
chance should offer itself for substituting