Jemima, with circumspection, managed to reach Mr. Redmain's room unencountered, but just as she knocked at the door, Mewks came behind her from somewhere, and snatching the letter out of her hand, for she carried it ready to justify her entrance to the first glance of her irritable master, pushed her rudely away, and immediately went in. But as he did so he put the letter in his pocket.
"Who took the note?" asked his master.
"The girl at the lodge, sir."
"Is she not come back yet?"
"No, sir, not yet. She'll be in a minute, though. I saw her coming up the avenue."
"Go and bring her here."
"Yes, sir."
Mewks went, and in two minutes returned with the letter, and the message that Miss Marston hadn't time to direct it.
"You damned rascal! I told you to bring the messenger here."
"She ran the whole way, sir, and not being very strong, was that tired, that, the moment she got in, the poor thing dropped in a dead faint. They ain't got her to yet."