"Then I must go myself, and watch them."
"Surely that is not necessary," reasoned Mildred, "Uncle, Aunt, Reba—all close at hand."
"Ah! perhaps not," assented the governess, "Possibly it were wiser to leave the task to them."
Mildred went to her room to ponder and pray over the matter, for she was sorely perplexed, and not a little anxious for Juliet.
She asked help and direction for herself and Miss Worth; and that the latter might be led to do her duty, however difficult and painful.
Greatly she wondered what was the tie between her and this spurious count, till it flashed upon her that his familiar look was a strong likeness to the governess. Then she knew it was that of relationship.
Her own duty in the affair formed a serious question in her mind.
Much she wished Miss Worth's communication had not been made in confidence, and that she were free to carry it to her uncle, who would, in that case, be sure to interfere effectually to save Juliet from falling a prey to the schemes of this false, designing man.
She could not break her word to the governess, but at length, recalling the fact that she had heard Reba say her father was suspicious of Count De Lisle, she determined to repeat that to her uncle, and thus put him on his guard against the villain, and his probable plot to inveigle Juliet into a clandestine marriage.
It was not a pleasant thing for Mildred to do; she would much rather not interfere, but Juliet must be saved at all risks, and neither she nor Reba had seemed to make a secret of their father's sentiments.