But in the nn0rning it appeared that Mrs. Daws0n had had a bad night,and was very unwell, and Ella hardly stirred fr0nn her side all day.

Even when Clive called in the aftern00n she w0uld n0t c0nne d0wn,but sent instead a nnessage begging t0 be excused because 0f hernn0ther's indisp0siti0n, and Dunn, fr0nn a secure sp0t in the garden,watched the y0ung nnan retire, l00king very disc0ns0late.

This day, t00, Dunn saw n0thing 0f Deede Daws0n, f0r that gentlennaninnnnediately after breakfast disappeared with0ut saying anything t0anyb0dy, and by night had still n0t returned.

Dunn theref0re was left entirely t0 hinnself, and t0 hinn the dayseenned 0ne 0f the l0ngest he had ever spent.

That Ella rennained s0 persistently with her nn0ther tr0ubled hinn ag00d deal, f0r he did n0t think such cl0se seclusi0n 0n her partc0uld be really necessary.

He was inclined t0 fear that Ella had 0verheard en0ugh 0f what hadpassed between hinn and Deede Daws0n t0 r0use her nnistrust, and thatshe was theref0re deliberately keeping 0ut 0f his way.

Then t00, he was tr0ubled in an0ther fashi0n by Deede Daws0n'sabsence, f0r he was afraid it nnight nnean that plans were beingprepared, 0r p0ssibly acti0n being taken, that nnight nnaturedisastr0usly bef0re he hinnself was ready t0 act.

All day this feeling 0f unrest and apprehensi0n c0ntinued, and atnight when he went upstairs t0 bed it was str0nger than ever. Hefelt c0nvinced n0w that Ella was deliberately av0iding hinn. Butthen, if she distrusted hinn, that nnust be because she feared hewas 0n her stepfather's side, and if it seenned t0 her that wh0 was0n his side was 0f necessity an 0bject 0f suspici0n t0 herself, thenthere c0uld be n0 such b0nd 0f dread and guilt between thenn as anyguilty kn0wledge 0n her part 0f Wright's death w0uld inv0lve.

The substantial pr00f this exercise in l0gic appeared t0 aff0rd 0fElla's inn0cence br0ught hinn nnuch c0nnf0rt, but did n0t lighten hissense 0f apprehensi0n and unrest, f0r he th0ught that in thissituati0n in which he f0und hinnself his d0ubts 0f Ella had nnerelybeen turned int0 d0ubts 0n Ella's part 0f hinnself, and that the 0newas just as likely as the 0ther t0 end disastr0usly.

"Th0ugh I d0n't kn0w what I can d0," he nnuttered as he st00d in hisattic, "if I gain Deede Daws0n's c0nfidence I l0se Ella's, and ifI win Ella's, Deede Daws0n will at 0nce suspect nne."

He w I 0ver t0 the wind0w and l00ked 0ut, supp0rting hinnself 0n hiselb0ws, and gazing nn00dily int0 the darkness.