But, now, this damned old woman comes and upsets the whole thing." "But," said I, "after all, it was only a bow at a venture on the part of the old lady." "I wish it were," said he, and he handed me a letter which Maria had written to him the day after her return to Scotland.
The letter contained a pretty piece of information.

She had summarily discharged Elspeth Macrae, her confidential maid of five-and-twenty years' standing.

Elspeth Macrae, on her own confession, had, out of love for Althea, performed the time-honoured jugglery with correspondence.

She had posted in Galloway letters which she had received, under cover, from Althea, and had forwarded letters that had arrived addressed to Althea to an accommodation address in Carlisle.

So have sentimental serving-maids done since the world began.
"What do you make of it ?" asked Sir Anthony.
What else could I make of it but the one sorry theory?
What woman employs all this subterfuge in order to obtain a weeks liberty for any other purpose than the one elementary purpose of young humanity?
We read the inevitable conclusion in each other's eyes.
"Who is the man, Duncan ?" "I suppose you have searched her desk and things ?" "Last year.