312 TJie Real Charlotte. 



alacrity, and addressed herself to the congenial task of ex- 

 amining each letter in succession. 



^' H'm ! They're of a very bilious complexion," she said 

 to herself. " There's one from Langford," turning it over 

 and looking at the name on the back. " I wonder if he's 

 ordering a Victoria for her ladyship ? I wouldn't put it past 

 him. Perhaps he'd like me to tell her whose money it was 

 paid Langford's bill last year ! " 



She fingered the letter longingly, then, taking a hairpin 

 from the heavy coils of her hair, she inserted it under the 

 flap of the envelope. Under her skilful manipulation it 

 opened easily, and without tearing, and she took out its 

 contents. They consisted of a short but severe letter from 

 the head of the firm, asking for " a speedy settlement of 

 this account, now so long overdue," and of the account in 

 question. It was a bill of formidable amount, from which 

 Charlotte soon gathered the fact that twenty pounds only 

 of the money she had lent Lambert last May had found its 

 way into the pockets of the coachbuilder. She replaced 

 the bill and letter in the envelope, and, after a minute of 

 consideration, took up for the second time two large and 

 heavy letters that she had thrown aside when first looking 

 through the heap. They had the stamp of the Lismoyle 

 bank upon them, and obviously contamed bank - books. 

 Charlotte saw at a glance that the hairpin would be of no 

 avail with these envelopes, and after another pause for 

 deliberation she replaced all the letters in their original 

 position, and went down the passage to the top of the 

 kitchen stairs. 



" Eliza," she called out, ** have ye a kettle boiling down 

 there ? Ah, that's right — " as Eliza answered in the affirma- 

 tive. " I never knew a well kept kitchen yet without boiling 

 water in it ! I'm chilled to me bones, Eliza," she continued, 

 " I wonder could you put your hand on a drop of spirits 

 anywhere, and I'd ask ye for a drop of hot grog to keep the 

 life in me, and " — as Eliza started with hospitable speed in 

 search of the materials, — " let me mix it meself, like a good 

 woman ; I know very well I'd be in the lock-up before night 

 if I drank what you'd brew for me ! " 



Retiring on this jest, Miss Mullen returned to the study; 



