〃You　are　mistaken；　Allan。　I　have　heard　more　of　what　has　happened
  than　you　suppose。〃
  〃What！　the　dreadful　mess　I'm　in　with　Miss　Gwilt？　the　row　with　the
  major？　the　infernal　scandal…mongering　in　the　neighborhood？　You
  don't　mean　to　say？〃
  〃Yes；〃　interposed　Midwinter；　quietly；　〃I　have　heard　of　it　all。〃
  〃Good　heavens！　how？　Did　you　stop　at　Thorpe　Ambrose　on　your　way
  back？　Have　you　been　in　the　coffee…room　at　the　hotel？　Have　you　met
  Pedgift？　Have　you　dropped　into　the　Reading　Rooms；　and　seen　what
  they　call　the　freedom　of　the　press　in　the　town　newspaper？〃
  Midwinter　paused　before　he　answered；　and　looked　up　at　the　sky。
  The　clouds　had　been　gathering　unnoticed　over　their　heads；　and　the
  first　rain…drops　were　beginning　to　fall。
  〃Come　in　here；〃　said　Allan。　〃We'll　go　up　to　breakfast　this　way。　〃
  He　led　Midwinter　through　the　open　French　window　into　his　own
  sitting…room。　The　wind　blew　toward　that　side　of　the　house；　and
  the　rain　followed　them　in。　Midwinter；　who　was　last；　turned　and
  closed　the　window。
  Allan　was　too　eager　for　the　answer　which　the　weather　had
  interrupted　to　wait　for　it　till　they　reached　the　breakfast…room。
  He　stopped　close　at　the　window；　and　added　two　more　to　his　string
  of　questions。
  〃How　can　you　possibly　have　heard　about　me　and　Miss　Gwilt？〃　he
  asked。　〃Who　told　you？〃
  〃Miss　Gwilt　herself；〃　replied　Midwinter；　gravely。
  Allan's　manner　changed　the　moment　the　governess's　name　passed　his
  friend's　lips。
  〃I　wish　you　had　heard　my　story　first；〃　he　said。　〃Where　did　you
  meet　with　Miss　Gwilt？〃
  There　was　a　momentary　pause。　They　both　stood　still　at　the　window；
  absorbed　in　the　interest　of　the　moment。　They　both　forgot　that
  their　contemplated　place　of　shelter　from　the　rain　had　been　the
  breakfast…room　upstairs。
  〃Before　I　answer　your　question；〃　said　Midwinter；　a　little
  constrainedly；　〃I　want　to　ask　you　something；　Allan；　on　my　side。
  Is　it　really　true　that　you　are　in　some　way　concerned　in　Miss
  Gwilt's　leaving　Major　Milroy's　service？〃
  There　was　another　pause。　The　disturbance　which　had　begun　to
  appear　in　Allan's　manner　palpably　increased。
  〃It's　rather　a　long　story；〃　he　began。　〃I　have　been　taken　in；
  Midwinter。　I've　been　imposed　on　by　a　person；　whoI　can't　help
  saying　itwho　cheated　me　into　promising　what　I　oughtn't　to　have
  promised；　and　doing　what　I　had　better　not　have　done。　It　isn't
  breaking　my　promise　to　tell　you。　I　can　trust　in　your　discretion；
  can't　I？　You　will　never　say　a　word；　will　you？〃
  〃Stop！〃　said　Midwinter。　〃Don't　trust　me　with　any　secrets　which
  are　not　your　own。　If　you　have　given　a　promise；　don't　trifle　with
  it；　even　in　speaking　to　such　an　intimate　friend　as　I　am。〃　He　laid
  his　hand　gently　and　kindly　on　Allan's　shoulder。　〃I　can't　help
  seeing　that　I　have　made　you　a　little　uncomfortable；〃　he　went　on。
  〃I　can't　help　seeing　that　my　question　is　not　so　easy　a　one　to
  answer　as　I　had　hoped　and　supposed。　Shall　we　wait　a　little？　Shall
  we　go　upstairs　and　breakfast　first？〃
  Allan　was　far　too　earnestly　bent　on　presenting　his　conduct　to　his
  friend　in　the　right　aspect　to　heed　Midwinter's　suggestion。　He
  spoke　eagerly　on　the　instant；　without　moving　from　the　window。
  〃My　dear　fellow；　it's　a　perfectly　easy　question　to　answer。
  Only〃he　hesitated〃only　it　requires　what　I'm　a　bad　hand　at：　it
  requires　an　explanation。〃
  〃Do　you　mean；〃　asked　Midwinter；　more　seriously；　but　not　less
  gently　than　before；　〃that　you　must　first　justify　yourself；　and
  then　answer　my　question？〃
  〃That's　it！〃　said　Allan；　with　an　air　of　relief。　〃You're　hit　the
  right　nail　on　the　head；　just　as　usual。〃
  Midwinter's　face　darkened　for　the　first　time。　〃I　am　sorry　to　hear
  it；〃　he　said；　his　voice　sinking　low；　and　his　eyes　dropping　to　the
  ground　as　he　spoke。
  The　rain　was　beginning　to　fall　thickly。　It　swept　across　the
  garden；　straight　on　the　closed　windows；　and　pattered　heavily
  against　the　glass。
  〃Sorry！〃　repeated　Allan。　〃My　dear　fellow；　you　haven't　heard　the
  particulars　yet。　Wait　till　I　explain　the　thing　first。〃
  〃You　are　a　bad　hand　at　explanations；〃　said　Midwinter；　repeating
  Allan's　own　words。　〃Don't　place　yourself　at　a　disadvantage。　Don't
  explain　it。〃
  Allan　looked　at　him；　in　silent　perplexity　and　surprise。
  〃You　are　my　friendmy　best　and　dearest　friend；〃　Midwinter　went
  on。　〃I　can't　bear　to　let　you　justify　yourself　to　me　as　if　I　was
  your　judge；　or　as　if　I　doubted　you。〃　He　looked　up　again　at　Allan
  frankly　and　kindly　as　he　said　those　words。　〃Besides；〃　he　resumed；
  〃I　think；　if　I　look　into　my　memory；　I　can　anticipate　your
  explanation。　We　had　a　moment's　talk；　before　I　went　away；　about
  some　very　delicate　questions　which　you　proposed　putting　to　Major
  Milroy。　I　remember　I　warned　you；　I　remember　I　had　my　misgivings。
  Should　I　be　guessing　right　if　I　guessed　that　those　questions　have
  been　in　some　way　the　means　of　leading　you　into　a　false　position？
  If　it　is　true　that　you　have　been　concerned　in　Miss　Gwilt's
  leaving　her　situation；　is　it　also　trueis　it　only　doing　you
  justice　to　believethat　any　mischief　for　which　you　are
  responsible　has　been　mischief　innocently　done？〃
  〃Yes；〃　said　Allan；　speaking；　for　the　first　time；　a　little
  constrainedly　on　his　side。　〃It　is　only　doing　me　justice　to　say
  that。〃　He　stopped　and　began　drawing　lines　absently　with　his
  finger　on　the　blurred　surface　of　the　window…pane。　〃You're　not
  like　other　people；　Midwinter；〃　he　resumed；　suddenly；　with　an
  effort；　〃and　I　should　have　liked　you　to　have　heard　the
  particulars　all　the　same。〃
  〃I　will　hear　them　if　you　desire　it；〃　returned　Midwinter。　〃But　I
  am　satisfied；　without　another　word；　that　you　have　not　willingly
  been　the　means　of　depriving　Miss　Gwilt　of　her　situation。　If　that
  is　understood　between　you　and　me；　I　think　we　need　say　no　more。
  Besides；　I　have　another　question　to　ask；　of　much　greater
  importancea　question　that　has　been　forced　on　me　by　what　I　saw
  with　my　own　eyes；　and　heard　with　my　own　ears；　last　night。〃
  He　stopped；　recoiling　in　spite　of　himself。　〃Shall　we　go　upstairs
  first？〃　he　asked；　abruptly；　leading　the　way　to　the　door；　and
  trying　to　gain　time。
  It　was　useless。　Once　again；　the　room　which　they　were　both　free　to
  leave；　the　room　which　one　of　them　had　twice　tried　to　leave
  already；　held　them　as　if　they　were　prisoners。
  Without　answering；　without　even　appearing　to　have　heard
  Midwinter's　proposal　to　go　upstairs；　Allan　followed　him
  mechanically　as　far　as　the　opposite　side　of　the　window。　There　he
  stopped。　〃Midwinter！〃　he　burst　out；　in　a　sudden　panic　of
  astonishment　and　alarm；　〃there　seems　to　be　something　strange
  between　us！　You're　not　like　yourself。　What　is　it？〃
  With　his　hand　on　the　lock　of　the　door；　Midwinter　turned；　and
  looked　back　into　the　room。　The　moment　had　come。　His　haunting　fear
  of　doing　his　friend　an　injustice　had　shown　itself　in　a　restraint
  of　word；　look；　and　action　which　had　been　marked　enough　to　force
  its　way　to　Allan's　notice。　The　one　course　left　now；　in　the
  dearest　interests　of　the　friendship　that　united　them；　was　to
  speak　at　once；　and　to　speak　boldly。
  〃There's　something　strange　between　us；〃　reiterated　Allan。　〃For
  God's　sake；　what　is　it？〃
  Midwinter　took　his　hand　from　the　door；　and　came　down　again　to　the
  window；　fronting　Allan。　He　occupied　the　place；　of　necessity；
  which　Allan　had　just　left。　It　was　the　side　of　the　window　on　which
  the　Statuette　stood。　The　little　figure；　placed　on　its　projecting
  bracket；　was；　close　behind　him　on　his　right　hand。　No　signs　of
  change　appeared　in　the　stormy　sky。　The　rain　still　swept　slanting
  across　the　garden；　and　pattered　heavily　against　the　glass。
  〃Give　me　your　hand；　Allan。〃
  Allan　gave　it；　and　Midwinter　held　it　firmly　while　he　spoke。
  〃There　is　something　strange　between　us；〃　he　said。　〃There　is
  something　to　be　set　right　which　touches　you　nearly；　and　　it　has
  not　been　set　right　yet。　You　asked　me　just　now　where　I　met　with
  Miss　Gwilt。　I　met　with　h　er　on　my　way　back　here；　upon　the
  high…road　on　the　further　side　of　the　town。　She　entreated　me　to
  protect　her　from　a　man　who　was　following　and　frightening　her。　I
  saw　the　scoundrel　with　my　own　eyes；　and　I　should　have　laid　hands
  on　him；　if　Miss　Gwilt　herself　had　not　stopped　me。　She　gave　a　very
  strange　reason　for　stopping　me。　She　said　I　didn't　know　who　his
  employer　was。〃
  Allan's　ruddy　color　suddenly　deepened；　he　looked　aside　quickly
  through　the　window　at　the　pouring　rain。　At　the　same　moment　their
  hands　fell　apart；　and　there　was　a　pause　of　silence　on　either
  side。　Midwinter　was　the　first　to　speak　again。
  〃Later　in　the　evening；〃　he　went　on；　〃Miss　Gwilt　explained
  herself。　She　told　me　two　things。　She　declared　that　the　man　whom　I
  had　seen　following　her　was　a　hired　spy。　I　was　surprised；　but　I
  could　not　dispute　it。　She　told　me　next；　Allanwhat　I　believe
  with　my　whole　heart　and　soul　to　be　a　falsehood　which　has　been
  imposed　on　her　as　the　truthshe　told　me　that　the　spy　was　in　your
  employment！〃
  Allan　turned　instantly　from　the　window；　and　looked　Midwinter　full
  in　the　face　again。　〃I　must　explain　myself　this　time；〃　he　said；
  resolutely。
  The　ashy　paleness　peculiar　to　him　in　moments　of　strong　emotion
  began　to　show　itself　on　Midwinter's　cheeks。
  〃More　explanations！〃　he　said；　and　drew　back　a　step；　with　his　eyes
  fixed　in　a　sudden　terror　of　inquiry　on　Allan's　face。
  〃You　don't　know　what　I　know；　Midwinter。