"Anything that belongs to Madame Fontaine must be taken back to her"-- was what the Mistress had just said to him.

He would certainly be ordered to give up the duplicate key (which meant giving up the wonderful remedy) if he took Mrs.Wagner into his confidence.

"When I have got what I want," he thought, "I can throw away the key--and there will be an end of it." The minutes followed each other, the quarters struck--and still the two strangely associated companions went on silently with their strangely dissimilar work.

It was close on the time for the striking of the hour, when a third person interrupted the proceedings--that person being no other than Madame Fontaine again.
"A thousand pardons, Mrs.Wagner! At what time can I say two words to you in confidence ?" "You could not have chosen your time better, Madame Fontaine.

My work is done for to-day." She paused, and looked at Jack, ostentatiously busy with his keys.