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suppose that she has not succeeded in deceiving me； and I firmly
believe she is bold enough to take us by surprise； and to win or
force her way into Allan's confidence before we are prepared to
prevent her。
〃You and you only （while I am detained in London） can decide
whether I am right or wrongand you can do it in this way。
Ascertain at once whether any woman who is a stranger in the
neighborhood has appeared since Monday last at or near Thorpe
Ambrose。 If any such person has been observed （and nobody escapes
observation in the country）； take the first opportunity you can
get of seeing her； and ask yourself if her face does or does not
answer certain plain questions which I am now about to write down
for you。 You may depend on my accuracy。 I saw the woman unveiled
on more than one occasion； and the last time through an excellent
glass。
〃1。 Is her hair light brown； and （apparently） not very plentiful？
2。 Is her forehead high； narrow； and sloping backward from the
brow？ 3。 Are her eyebrows very faintly marked； and are her eyes
small； and nearer dark than lighteither gray or hazel （I have
not seen her close enough to he certain which）？ 4。 Is her nose
aquiline？ 5 Are her lips thin； and is the upper lip long？ 6。 Does
her complexion look like an originally fair complexion； which has
deteriorated into a dull； sickly paleness？ 7 （and lastly）。 Has
she a retreating chin； and is there on the left side of it a mark
of some k inda mole or a scar； I can't say which？
〃I add nothing about her expression； for you may see her under
circumstances which may partially alter it as seen by me。 Test
her by her features； which no circumstances can change。 If there
is a stranger in the neighborhood； and if her face answers my
seven questions； _you have found the woman！_ Go instantly； in
that case； to the nearest lawyer； and pledge my name and credit
for whatever expenses may be incurred in keeping her under
inspection night and day。 Having done this； take the speediest
means of communicating with me； and whether my business is
finished or not； I will start for Norfolk by the first train。
〃Always your friend； DECIMUS BROCK。〃
Hardened by the fatalist conviction that now possessed him；
Midwinter read the rector's confession of defeat； from the first
line to the last； without the slightest betrayal either of
interest or surprise。 The one part of the letter at which he
looked back was the closing part of it。 〃I owe much to Mr。
Brock's kindness；〃 he thought； 〃and I shall never see Mr。 Brock
again。 It is useless and hopeless； but he asks me to do it； and
it shall be done。 A moment's look at her will be enougha
moment's look at her with his letter in my handand a line to
tell him that the woman is here！〃
Again he stood hesitating at the half…opened door； again the
cruel necessity of writing his farewell to Allan stopped him； and
stared him in the face。
He looked aside doubtingly at the rector's letter。 〃I will write
the two together；〃 he said。 〃One may help the other。〃 His face
flushed deep as the words escaped him。 He was conscious of doing
what he had not done yetof voluntarily putting off the evil
hour； of making Mr。 Brock the pretext for gaining the last
respite left； the respite of time。
The only sound that reached him through the open door was the
sound of Allan stirring noisily in the next room。 He stepped at
once into the empty corridor； and meeting no one on the stairs；
made his way out of the house。 The dread that his resolution to
leave Allan might fail him if he saw Allan again was as vividly
present to his mind in the morning as it had been all through the
night。 He drew a deep breath of relief as he descended the house
stepsrelief at having escaped the friendly greeting of the
morning； from the one human creature whom he loved！
He entered the shrubbery with Mr。 Brock's letter in his hand； and
took the nearest way that led to the major's cottage。 Not the
slightest recollection was in his mind of the talk which had
found its way to his ears during the night。 His one reason for
determining to see the woman was the reason which the rector had
put in his mind。 The one remembrance that now guided him to the
place in which she lived was the remembrance of Allan's
exclamation when he first identified the governess with the
figure at the pool。
Arrived at the gate of the cottage； he stopped。 The thought
struck him that he might defeat his own object if he looked at
the rector's questions in the woman's presence。 Her suspicions
would be probably roused； in the first instance； by his asking to
see her （as he had determined to ask； with or without an excuse）；
and the appearance of the letter in his hand might confirm them。
She might defeat him by instantly leaving the room。 Determined to
fix the description in his mind first； and then to confront her；
he opened the letter； and； turning away slowly by the side of the
house； read the seven questions which he felt absolutely assured
beforehand the woman's face would answer。
In the morning quiet of the park slight noises traveled far。 A
slight noise disturbed Midwinter over the letter。
He looked up and found himself on the brink of a broad grassy
trench； having the park on one side and the high laurel hedge of
an inclosure on the other。 The inclosure evidently surrounded the
back garden of the cottage； and the trench was intended to
protect it from being damaged by the cattle grazing in the park。
Listening carefully as the slight sound which had disturbed him
grew fainter； he recognized in it the rustling of women's
dresses。 A few paces ahead； the trench was crossed by a bridge
（closed by a wicket gate） which connected the garden with the
park。 He passed through the gate； crossed the bridge； and；
opening a door at the other end； found himself in a summer…house
thickly covered with creepers； and commanding a full view of the
garden from end to end。
He looked； and saw the figures of two ladies walking slowly away
from him toward the cottage。 The shorter of the two failed to
occupy his attention for an instant； he never stopped to think
whether she was or was not the major's daughter。 His eyes were
riveted on the other figurethe figure that moved over the
garden walk with the long； lightly falling dress and the easy；
seductive grace。 There； presented exactly as be had seen her once
alreadythere； with her back again turned on him； was the Woman
at the pool！
There was a chance that they might take another turn in the
gardena turn back toward the summer…house。 On that chance
Midwinter waited。 No consciousness of the intrusion that he was
committing had stopped him at the door of the summer…house； and
no consciousness of it troubled him even now。 Every finer
sensibility in his nature； sinking under the cruel laceration of
the past night； had ceased to feel。 The dogged resolution to do
what he had come to do was the one animating influence left alive
in him。 He acted； he even looked； as the most stolid man living
might have acted and looked in his place。 He was self…possessed
enough； in the interval of expectation before governess and pupil
reached the end of the walk； to op