460 THE BARONET'S DAUGHTER. 



" Mr. Courtenay, Sir Robert, is gone." 

 ** Gone !" cried the baronet in surprise, ** gone ! where ?" 

 " He accompanied Mr. Willoughby, Sir Robert, in the carriage." 

 The baronet was silent for a few moments. " Thomas," said he, 

 calmly, " saddle a horse forthwith, and ride to the next town. Hire 

 post horses and follow Mr. Willoughby's carriage to London. Let 

 him not observe you ; but watch whether he proceeds to his own 

 house or elsewhere. You will see me and let me know at the hotel 

 in Oxford-street, the hotel at which I usually put up ; you know 

 it. Order my carriage instantly, I follow you in half an hour. Tell 

 James to put up a few things, he is to accompany me." 

 The servant bowed and retired. 



" Said I not rightly?" cried the baronet, as he arose, and hastened 

 to his chamber, " when I told Willoughby it was a conspiracy ; they 

 shall rue it they shall rue it." 



CHAPTER IV. 



Sir Robert Aylmer had not occupied the private room into which 

 he had been ushered by the waiter of the hotel, more than ten 

 minutes when his servant entered. 



" Well, John, what news do you bring? f am not long after you, 

 you see." 



" Mr. Willoughby is in Grosvenor-square, Sir Robert, I saw him 

 alight from his carriage " 



"And Mr. Courtenay?" 



" Mr. Courtenay was with him, Sir Robert." 



" That will do. By-the-bye, Thomas," said he, musing, " do you 

 remember a young girl who was accustomed to attend upon the late 

 Mrs. Willoughby, her waiting maid ?" 



" I do, Sir Robert." 



" Now, do you think," said the baronet, " you could obtain sight of 

 this girl without being seen by her fellow-servants. Tell her that I 

 wish particularly to see her, and bring her with you, if possible. I 

 shall not detain her many minutes. Can you do this matter cleverly, 

 think you?" 



" I will endeavour, Sir Robert," answered the servant. " I might 

 send to her from some house in the neighbourhood, or " 



" Aye, aye, to be sure, I see you understand. Now, go, and pre- 

 vail upon her to come to me without delay. She shall be rewarded 

 handsomely." 



"Yes," said the baronet, when the servant had retired, " I should 

 have questioned this girl before, she might have thrown much light 

 upon this attempted mystery ; and may still, aye, and may still." 



In about an hour the servant returned. " Well, Thomas," said the 

 baronet, " did you see her, have you brought her ?" 



" She is below, Sir Robert," said the servant. 



" Let her come up instantly. You were not seen, IJhope, by any 

 of the servants?" 



44 1 was not, Sir." 



