MASTER WITHYPOOL At first I was much inclined to run for help, or at least for counsel, either to Lord Castlewood or to Major Hockin; but further consideration kept me from doing any thing of the kind.

In the first place, neither of them would do much good; for my cousin's ill health would prevent him from helping me, even if his strange view of the case did not, while the excellent Major was much too hot and hasty for a delicate task like this.

And, again, I might lose the most valuable and important of all chances by being away from the spot just now.

And so I remained at Shoxford for a while, keeping strict watch upon the stranger's haunt, and asking about him by means of Mrs.Busk.
"I have heard more about him, miss," she said one day, when the down letters had been dispatched, which happened about middle-day.

"He has been here only those three times this summer, upon excuse of fishing always.