In the mean time--you must be content to rest tranquilly here; cultivate my dear old aunt, and I will come to you daily so that your quiet life in this 'moated grange' will be brightened up a bit.

You see," thoughtfully said Anstruther, "whoever sent old Johnstone to his grave, he had previously spirited the heiress away--all his plans for the future were perfectly matured with all the craft of a man well versed in intrigue for forty years.

His bitter hatred of you did not die with him.

You may be assured that he has laid out a plan, both in his private letters and in the will to fence you forever out of this girl's life.

So your work must be done in secret.