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instantly obeying the message which you have so kindly sent to me； I remain here for a little whileentirely for your sake。〃
Having torn out the page； and twisted it up among the roses； so that only a corner of the paper appeared in view； Mirabel called to a lad who was at work in the garden； and gave him his directions； accompanied by a shilling。 〃Take those flowers to the servants' hall； and tell one of the maids to put them in Miss Brown's room。 Stop！ Which is the way to the fruit garden？〃
The lad gave the necessary directions。 Mirabel walked away slowly； with his hands in his pockets。 His nerves had been shaken； he thought a little fruit might refresh him。
CHAPTER XLVII。
DEBATING。
In the meanwhile Emily had been true to her promise to relieve Mirabel's anxieties； on the subject of Miss Jethro。 Entering the drawing…room in search of Alban； she found him talking with Cecilia； and heard her own name mentioned as she opened the door。
〃Here she is at last！〃 Cecilia exclaimed。 〃What in the world has kept you all this time in the rose garden？〃
〃Has Mr。 Mirabel been more interesting than usual？〃 Alban asked gayly。 Whatever sense of annoyance he might have felt in Emily's absence； was forgotten the moment she appeared； all traces of trouble in his face vanished when they looked at each other。
〃You shall judge for yourself；〃 Emily replied with a smile。 〃Mr。 Mirabel has been speaking to me of a relative who is very dear to himhis sister。〃
Cecilia was surprised。 〃Why has he never spoken to _us_ of his sister？〃 she asked。
〃It's a sad subject to speak of； my dear。 His sister lives a life of sufferingshe has been for years a prisoner in her room。 He writes to her constantly。 His letters from Monksmoor have interested her； poor soul。 It seems he said something about meand she has sent a kind message； inviting me to visit her one of these days。 Do you understand it now； Cecilia？〃
〃Of course I do！ Tell meis Mr。 Mirabel's sister older or younger than he is？〃
〃Older。〃
〃Is she married？〃
〃She is a widow。〃
〃Does she live with her brother？〃 Alban asked。
〃Oh； no！ She has her own housefar away in Northumberland。〃
〃Is she near Sir Jervis Redwood？〃
〃I fancy not。 Her house is on the coast。〃
〃Any children？〃 Cecilia inquired。
〃No； she is quite alone。 Now； Cecilia； I have told you all I knowand I have something to say to Mr。 Morris。 No； you needn't leave us； it's a subject in which you are interested。 A subject；〃 she repeated； turning to Alban； 〃which you may have noticed is not very agreeable to me。〃
〃Miss Jethro？〃 Alban guessed。
〃Yes； Miss Jethro。〃
Cecilia's curiosity instantly asserted itself。
〃_We_ have tried to get Mr。 Mirabel to enlighten us； and tried in vain；〃 she said。 〃You are a favorite。 Have you succeeded？〃
〃I have made no attempt to succeed；〃 Emily replied。 〃My only object is to relieve Mr。 Mirabel's anxiety； if I canwith your help； Mr。 Morris。〃
〃In what way can I help you？〃
〃You mustn't be angry。〃
〃Do I look angry？〃
〃You look serious。 It is a very simple thing。 Mr。 Mirabel is afraid that Miss Jethro may have said something disagreeable about him； which you might hesitate to repeat。 Is he making himself uneasy without any reason？〃
〃Without the slightest reason。 I have concealed nothing from Mr。 Mirabel。〃
〃Thank you for the explanation。〃 She turned to Cecilia。 〃May I send one of the servants with a message？ I may as well put an end to Mr。 Mirabel's suspense。〃
The man was summoned； and was dispatched with the message。 Emily would have done well； after this； if she had abstained from speaking further of Miss Jethro。 But Mirabel's doubts had； unhappily； inspired a similar feeling of uncertainty in her own mind。 She was now disposed to attribute the tone of mystery in Alban's unlucky letter to some possible concealment suggested by regard for herself。 〃I wonder whether _I_ have any reason to feel uneasy？〃 she saidhalf in jest； half in earnest。
〃Uneasy about what？〃 Alban inquired。
〃About Miss Jethro； of course！ Has she said anything of me which your kindness has concealed？〃
Alban seemed to be a little hurt by the doubt which her question implied。 〃Was that your motive；〃 he asked； 〃for answering my letter as cautiously as if you had been writing to a stranger？〃
〃Indeed you are quite wrong！〃 Emily earnestly assured him。 〃I was perplexed and startledand I took Mr。 Wyvil's advice； before I wrote to you。 Shall we drop the subject？〃
Alban would have willingly dropped the subjectbut for that unfortunate allusion to Mr。 Wyvil。 Emily had unconsciously touched him on a sore place。 He had already heard from Cecilia of the consultation over his letter； and had disapproved of it。 〃I think you were wrong to trouble Mr。 Wyvil；〃 he said。
The altered tone of his voice suggested to Emily that he would have spoken more severely； if Cecilia had not been in the room。 She thought him needlessly ready to complain of a harmless proceedingand she too returned to the subject； after having proposed to drop it not a minute since！
〃You didn't tell me I was to keep your letter a secret；〃 she replied。
Cecilia made matters worsewith the best intentions。 〃I'm sure； Mr。 Morris； my father was only too glad to give Emily his advice。〃
Alban remained silentungraciously silent as Emily thought； after Mr。 Wyvil's kindness to him。
〃The thing to regret；〃 she remarked； 〃is that Mr。 Morris allowed Miss Jethro to leave him without explaining herself。 In his place； I should have insisted on knowing why she wanted to prevent me from meeting Mr。 Mirabel in this house。〃
Cecilia made another unlucky attempt at judicious interference。 This time； she tried a gentle remonstrance。
〃Remember； Emily； how Mr。 Morris was situated。 He could hardly be rude to a lady。 And I daresay Miss Jethro had good reasons for not wishing to explain herself。〃
Francine opened the drawing…room door and heard Cecilia's last words。
〃Miss Jethro again！〃 she exclaimed。
〃Where is Mr。 Mirabel？〃 Emily asked。 〃I sent him a message。〃
〃He regrets to say he is otherwise engaged for the present；〃 Francine replied with spiteful politeness。 〃Don't let me interrupt the conversation。 Who is this Miss Jethro； whose name is on everybody's lips？〃
Alban could keep silent no longer。 〃We have done with the subject；〃 he said sharply。
〃Because I am here？〃
〃Because we have said more than enough about Miss Jethro already。〃
〃Speak for yourself； Mr。 Morris；〃 Emily answered； resenting the masterful tone which Alban's interference had assumed。 〃I have not done with Miss Jethro yet； I can assure you。〃
〃My dear； you don't know where she lives；〃 Cecilia reminded her。
〃Leave me to discover i t！〃 Emily answered hotly。 〃Perhaps Mr。 Mirabel knows。 I shall ask Mr。 Mirabel。〃
〃I thought you would find a reason for returning to Mr。 Mirabel；〃 Francine remarked。
Before Emily could reply； one of the maids entered the room with a wreath of roses in her hand。
〃Mr。 Mirabel sends you these flowers； miss；〃 the woman said； addressing Emily。 〃The boy told me they were to be taken to your room。 I thought it was a mistake； and I have brought them to you here。〃
Francine； who happened to be nearest to the do