wicked ghost that night in the Ghost's Walk； you knowthe white
one： there is the good ghost； the nun； the black one。〃
〃Who？ Margaret？〃
〃Yes； indeed。 She has just been confessing it to me。 I had my two
angels； as one whose fate was undetermined； my evil angel in the
countmy good angel in Margaret。 Little did I think then that the
holy powers were watching me in her。 I knew the evil one； I knew
nothing of the good。 I suppose it is so with a great many people。〃
Hugh sat silent in astonishment。 Margaret； then； had been at
Arnstead with Mrs。 Elton all the time。 It was herself he had seen
in the study。
〃Did you suspect me； Margaret？〃 resumed Euphra； turning towards her
where she sat at the window。
〃Not in the least。 I only knew that something was wrong about the
house； that some being was terrifying the servants； and poor Harry；
and I resolved to do my best to meet it； especially if it should be
anything of a ghostly kind。〃
〃Then you do believe in such appearances？〃 said Hugh。
〃I have never met anything of the sort yet。 I don't know。〃
〃And you were not afraid？〃
〃Not much。 I am never really afraid of anything。 Why should I be？〃
No justification of fear was suggested either by Hugh or by Euphra。
They felt the dignity of nature that lifted Margaret above the
region of fear。
〃Come and see me again soon；〃 said Euphra； as Hugh rose to go。
He promised。
Next day he dined by invitation with Mrs。 Elton and Harry。 Euphra
was unable to see him； but sent a kind message by Margaret as he was
taking his leave。 He had been fearing that he should not see
Margaret； and when she did appear he was the more delighted； but the
interview was necessarily short。
He called the next day； and saw neither Euphra nor Margaret。 She
was no better。 Mrs。 Elton said the physicians could discover no
definite disease either of the lungs or of any other organ。 Yet
life seemed sinking。 Margaret thought that the conflict which she
had passed through； had exhausted her vitality； that； had she
yielded； she might have lived a slave； but that now； perhaps； she
must die a free woman。
Her continued illness made Hugh still more anxious to find the ring；
for he knew it would please her much。 Falconer would have applied
to the police； but he feared that the man would vanish from London；
upon the least suspicion that he was watched。 They held many
consultations on the subject。
CHAPTER XX。
A NEW GUIDE。
Das Denken ist nur ein Traum des F黨lens； ein erstorbenes F黨len；
ein blass…graues； schwaches Leben。
Thinking is only a dream of feeling； a dead feeling； a pale…grey；
feeble life。
NOVALIS。Die Lehrlinge zu Sais。
For where's no courage； there's no ruth nor mone。
Faerie Queene： vi。 7； 18。
One morning； as soon as she waked； Euphra said：
〃Have I been still all the night； Margaret？〃
〃Quite still。 Why do you ask？〃
〃Because I have had such a strange and vivid dream； that I feel as
if I must have been to the place。 It was a foolish question；
though； because； of course； you would not have let me go。〃
〃I hope it did not trouble you much。〃
〃No； not much； for though I was with the count； I did not seem to be
there in the body at all； only somehow near him； and seeing him。 I
can recall the place perfectly。〃
〃Do you think it really was the place he was in at the time？〃
〃I should not wonder。 But now I feel so free； so far beyond him and
all his power； that I don't mind where or when I see him。 He cannot
hurt me now。〃
〃Could you describe the place to Mr。 Sutherland？ It might help him
to find the count。〃
〃That's a good idea。 Will you send for him？〃
〃Yes； certainly。 May I tell him for what？〃
〃By all means。〃
Margaret wrote to Hugh at once； and sent the note by hand。 He was
at home when it arrived。 He hurriedly answered it； and went to find
Falconer。 To his delight he was at homenot out of bed； in fact。
〃Read that。〃
〃Who is it from？〃
〃Miss Cameron's maid。〃
〃It does not look like a maid's production。〃
〃It is though。 Will you come with me？ You know London ten thousand
times better than I do。 I don't think we ought to lose a chance。〃
〃Certainly not。 I will go with you。 But perhaps she will not see
me。〃
〃Oh！ yes； she will； when I have told her about you。〃
〃It will be rather a trial to see a stranger。〃
〃A man cannot be a stranger with you ten minutes； if he only looks
at you；still less a woman。〃
Falconer looked pleased； and smiled。
〃I am glad you think so。 Let us go。〃
When they arrived； Margaret came to them。 Hugh told her that
Falconer was his best friend； and one who knew London perhaps better
than any other man in it。 Margaret looked at him full in the face
for a moment。 Falconer smiled at the intensity of her still gaze。
Margaret returned the smile； and said：
〃I will ask Miss Cameron to see yet。〃
〃Thank you；〃 was all Falconer's reply； but the tone was more than
speech。
After a little while； they were shown up to Euphra's room。 She had
wanted to sit up； but Margaret would not let her； so she was lying
on her couch。 When Falconer was presented to her； he took her hand；
and held it for a moment。 A kind of indescribable beam broke over
his face； as if his spirit smiled and the smile shone through
without moving one of his features as it passed。 The tears stood in
his eyes。 To understand all this look； one would need to know his
history as I do。 He laid her hand gently on her bosom； and said：
〃God bless you！〃
Euphra felt that God did bless her in the very words。 She had been
looking at Falconer all the time。 It was only fifteen seconds or
so； but the outcome of a life was crowded into Falconer's side of
it； and the confidence of Euphra rose to meet the faithfulness of a
man of God。What words those are！A man of God！ Have I not
written a revelation？ Yesto him who can read ityes。
〃I know enough of your story； Miss Cameron；〃 he said； 〃to understand
without any preface what you choose to tell me。〃
Euphra began at once：
〃I dreamed last night that I found myself outside the street door。
I did not know where I was going； but my feet seemed to know。 They
carried me； round two or three corners； into a wide； long street；
which I think was Oxford…street。 They carried me on into London；
far beyond any quarter I knew。 All I can tell further is； that I
turned to the left beside a church； on the steeple of which stood
what I took for a wandering ghost just lighted there；only I ought
to tell you； that frequently in my dreamsalways in my peculiar
dreamsthe more material and solid and ordinary things are； the
more thin and ghostly they appear to me。 Then I went on and on；
turning left and right too many times for me to remember； till at
last I came to a little； old…fashioned court； with two or three
trees in it。 I had to go up a few steps to enter it。 I was not
afraid； because I knew I was dreaming； and that my body was not
there。 It is a great relief to feel that sometimes； for it is often
very much in the way。 I opened a door； upon which the moon shone
very bright； and walked up two flights of stairs into a back room。
And there I found him； doing something at a table by candlelight。
He had a sheet of paper before him； but what he was doing with it；
I could not see。 I tried hard； but it was of no use。 The dream
suddenly faded； and I awoke； and found Margaret。Then I knew I was
safe；〃 she added； with a loving glance at her maid。
Falconer rose。
〃I know the place you mean perfectly；〃 he said。 〃It is too peculiar
to be mistaken。 Last night； let me see； how did the moon
shine？Yes。 I shall be able to tell the very door； I think； or
almost。〃
〃How kind of you not to laugh at me！〃
〃I might make a fool of myself if I laughed at any one。 So I
generally avoid it。 We may as well get the good out of what we do
not understandor at least try if there be any in it。 Will you
come； Sutherland？〃
Hugh rose； and took his leave with Falconer。
〃How pleased she seemed with you； Falconer！〃 said he； as they left
the house。
〃Yes； she touched me。〃
〃Won't you go and see her again？〃
〃No； there is no need； except she sends for me。〃
〃It would please hercomfort her； I am sure。〃
〃She has got one of God's angels beside her； Sutherland。 She
doesn't want me。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃I mean that maid of hers。〃
A pangof jealousy； was it？shot through Hugh's heart。 How could
he seewhat right had he to see anything in Margaret？
Hugh might have kept himself at peace； even if he had loved Margaret
as much as she deserved； which would have been about ten times as
much as he did。 Is a man not to recognize an angel when he sees
her； and to call her by her name？ Had Hugh seen into the core of
that grand heartwhat form sat there； and howhe would have been
at peacewould almost have fallen down to do the man homage。 He
was silent。
〃My dear fellow！〃 said Falconer； as if he divined his feelingfor
Falconer's power over men and women came all from sympathy with
their spirits； and not their nerves〃if you have any hold of that
woman； do not lose it； for as sure as there's a sun in heaven； she
is one of the winged ones。 Don't I know a woman when I see her！〃
He sighed with a kind of involuntary sigh； which yet did not seek to
hide itself from Hugh。
〃My dear boy；〃 he added； laying a stress on the word； 〃I am nearly
twice your agedon't be jealous of me。〃
〃Mr。 Falconer；〃 said Hugh humbly； 〃forgive me。 The feeling was
involuntary； and if you have detected in it more than I was aware
of； you are at least as likely to be right as I am。 But you cannot
think more highly of Margaret than I do。〃
And yet Hugh did not know half the good of her then； that the reader
does now。
〃Well； we had better part now； and meet again at night。〃
〃What time shall I come to you？〃
〃Oh！ about nine I think will do。〃
So Hugh went home； and tried to turn his thoughts to his story； but
Euphra； Falconer； Funkelstein； and Margaret persisted in sitting to
him； the one after the other； instead of the heroes and heroines of
his tale。 He was compelled to lay it aside； and betake himself to a
stroll and a pipe。
As he went down