She made very minute inquiry, writing even to her very old and intimate friend Mrs.
Ellison, of Lessboro',--writing to that lady a most cautious and guarded letter.

At last it became a fact proved to her mind that Colonel Osborne had been at the Clock House, had been received there, and had remained there for hours,--had been allowed access to Mrs.
Trevelyan, and had slept the night at the inn at Lessboro'.

The thing was so terrible to Miss Stanbury's mind, that even false hair, Dr.
Colenso, and penny newspapers did not account for it.
"I shall begin to believe that the Evil One has been allowed to come among us in person because of our sins," she said to Martha;--and she meant it.
In the meantime, Mrs.Trevelyan, as may be remembered, had hired Mrs.
Crocket's open carriage, and the three young women, Mrs.Trevelyan, Nora, and Priscilla, made a little excursion to Princetown, somewhat after the fashion of a picnic.

At Princetown, in the middle of Dartmoor, about nine miles from Nuncombe Putney, is the prison establishment at which are kept convicts undergoing penal servitude.
It is regarded by all the country round with great interest, chiefly because the prisoners now and again escape, and then there comes a period of interesting excitement until the escaped felon shall have been again taken.

How can you tell where he may be, or whether it may not suit him to find his rest in your own cupboard, or under your own bed?
And then, as escape without notice will of course be the felon's object, to attain that he will probably cut your throat, and the throat of everybody belonging to you.