He found Miss Crawley's maid (the discontented female) unusually sulky and despondent; he found Miss Briggs, her dame de compagnie, in tears alone in the drawing-room.

She had hastened home, hearing of her beloved friend's illness.

She wished to fly to her couch, that couch which she, Briggs, had so often smoothed in the hour of sickness.

She was denied admission to Miss Crawley's apartment.

A stranger was administering her medicines--a stranger from the country--an odious Miss ...