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The front garden and back garden at the cottage communicated with each other。 Walking slowly round and round； Mrs。 Ellmother heard footsteps on the road outside； which stopped at the gate。 She looked through the grating； and discovered Alban Morris。
〃Come in； sir！〃 she said； rejoiced to see him。 He obeyed in silence。 The full view of his face shocked Mrs。 Ellmother。 Never in her experience of the friend who had been so kind to her at Netherwoods； had he looked so old and so haggard as he looked now。 〃Oh； Mr。 Alban； I see how she has distressed you！ Don't take her at her word。 Keep a good heart； siryoung girls are never long together of the same mind。〃
Alban gave her his hand。 〃I mustn't speak about it；〃 he said。 〃Silence helps me to bear my misfortune as becomes a man。 I have had some hard blows in my time： they don't seem to have blunted my sense of feeling as I thought they had。 Thank God； she doesn't know how she has made me suffer！ I want to ask her pardon for having forgotten myself yesterday。 I spoke roughly to her； at one time。 No： I won't intrude on her； I have said I am sorry； in writing。 Do you mind giving it to her？ Good…byand thank you。 I mustn't stay longer； Miss Ladd expects me at Netherwoods。〃
〃Miss Ladd is in the house； sir； at this moment。〃
〃Here； in London！〃
〃Upstairs； with Miss Emily。〃
〃Upstairs？ Is Emily ill？〃
〃She is getting better； sir。 Would you like to see Miss Ladd？〃
〃I should indeed！ I have something to say to herand time is of importance to me。 May I wait in the garden？〃
〃Why not in the parlor； sir？〃
〃The parlor reminds me of happier days。 In time； I may have courage enough to look at the room again。 Not now。〃
〃If she doesn't make it up with that good man；〃 Mrs。 Ellmother thought； on her way back to the house； 〃my nurse…child is what I have never believed her to be yetshe's a fool。〃
In half an hour more； Miss Ladd joined Alban on the little plot of grass behind the cottage。 〃I bring Emily's reply to your letter；〃 she said。 〃Read it； before you speak to me。〃
Alban read it： 〃Don't suppose you have offended meand be assured that I feel gratefully the tone in which your note is written。 I try to write forbearingly on my side； I wish I could write acceptably as well。 It is not to be done。 I am as unable as ever to enter into your motives。 You are not my relation； you were under no obligation of secrecy： you heard me speak ignorantly of the murder of my father； as if it had been the murder of a stranger； and yet you kept medeliberately； cruelly kept medeceived！ The remembrance of it burns me like fire。 I cannotoh； Alban； I cannot restore you to the place in my estimation which you have lost！ If you wish to help me to bear my trouble； I entreat you not to write to me again。〃
Alban offered the letter silently to Miss Ladd。 She signed to him to keep it。
〃I know what Emily has written；〃 she said； 〃and I have told her； what I now tell youshe is wrong； in every way； wrong。 It is the misfortune of her impetuous nature that she rushes to conclusionsand those conclusions once formed； she holds to them with all the strength of her character。 In this matter； she has looked at her side of the question exclusively； she is blind to your side。〃
〃Not willfully！〃 Alban interposed。
Miss Ladd looked at him with admiration。 〃You defend Emily？〃 she said。
〃I love her；〃 Alban answered。
Miss Ladd felt for him； as Mrs。 Ellmother had felt for him。 〃Trust to time； Mr。 Morris；〃 she resumed。 〃The danger to be afraid of isthe danger of some headlong action； on her part； in the interval。 Who can say what the end may be； if she persists in her present way of thinking？ There is something monstrous； in a young girl declaring that it is _her_ duty to pursue a murderer； and to bring him to justice！ Don't you see it yourself？〃
A lban still defended Emily。 〃It seems to me to be a natural impulse；〃 he said〃natural； and noble。〃
〃Noble！〃 Miss Ladd exclaimed。
〃Yesfor it grows out of the love which has not died with her father's death。〃
〃Then you encourage her？〃
〃With my whole heartif she would give me the opportunity！〃
〃We won't pursue the subject； Mr。 Morris。 I am told by Mrs。 Ellmother that you have something to say to me。 What is it？〃
〃I have to ask you；〃 Alban replied； 〃to let me resign my situation at Netherwoods。〃
Miss Ladd was not only surprised； she was alsoa very rare thing with herinclined to be suspicious。 After what he had said to Emily； it occurred to her that Alban might be meditating some desperate project； with the hope of recovering his lost place in her favor。
〃Have you heard of some better employment？〃 she asked。
〃I have heard of no employment。 My mind is not in a state to give the necessary attention to my pupils。〃
〃Is that your only reason for wishing to leave me？〃
〃It is one of my reasons。〃
〃The only one which you think it necessary to mention？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃I shall be sorry to lose you； Mr。 Morris。〃
〃Believe me； Miss Ladd； I am not ungrateful for your kindness。〃
〃Will you let me； in all kindness； say something more？〃 Miss Ladd answered。 〃I don't intrude on your secretsI only hope that you have no rash project in view。〃
〃I don't understand you； Miss Ladd。〃
〃Yes； Mr。 Morrisyou do。〃
She shook hands with himand went back to Emily。
CHAPTER LI。
THE DOCTOR SEES。
Alban returned to Netherwoodsto continue his services； until another master could be found to take his place。
By a later train Miss Ladd followed him。 Emily was too well aware of the importance of the mistress's presence to the well…being of the school； to permit her to remain at the cottage。 It was understood that they were to correspond； and that Emily's room was waiting for her at Netherwoods； whenever she felt inclined to occupy it
Mrs。 Ellmother made the tea； that evening； earlier than usual。 Being alone again with Emily； it struck her that she might take advantage of her position to say a word in Alban's favor。 She had chosen her time unfortunately。 The moment she pronounced the name； Emily checked her by a look； and spoke of another personthat person being Miss Jethro。
Mrs。 Ellmother at once entered her protest； in her own downright way。 〃Whatever you do；〃 she said； 〃don't go back to that！ What does Miss Jethro matter to you？〃
〃I am more interested in her than you supposeI happen to know why she left the school。〃
〃Begging your pardon； miss； that's quite impossible！〃
〃She left the school；〃 Emily persisted； 〃for a serious reason。 Miss Ladd discovered that she had used false references。〃
〃Good Lord！ who told you that？〃
〃You see I know it。 I asked Miss Ladd how she got her information。 She was bound by a promise never to mention the person's name。 I didn't say it to herbut I may say it to you。 I am afraid I have an idea of who the person was。〃
〃No；〃 Mrs。 Ellmother obstinately asserted； 〃you can't possibly know who it was！ How should you know？〃
〃Do you wish me to repeat what I heard in that room opposite； when my aunt was dying？〃
〃Drop it； Miss Emily！ For God's sake； drop it！〃
〃I can't drop it。 It's dreadful to me to have suspicions of my auntand no better reason for them than what she said in a state of delirium。 Tel