Then Matilda returned.
Her Mrs.De Peyster summoned to her side.
"Matilda, you have proved your loyalty to me by twenty years of service," she began, "and you, Olivetta, I know are completely devoted to me.

So I know you both will faithfully execute my requests.

But I must ask you not to breathe a word of what I tell you, and what we do." "I ?" cried Olivetta.

"Never a syllable!" "Nor I, ma'am,--never!" declared Matilda.
"But first, Matilda, I must acquaint you with a situation that has just arisen." And Mrs.De Peyster outlined such details of her predicament as she thought Matilda needed to know.

"And now, here are my orders, Matilda.