“Very creditable; I haven’t a word to say against it,” Mr. Troy rejoined.  “But don’t forget that the young lady has other devoted friends besides you.  I am her devoted friend, for instance—­I have promised to serve her, and I mean to keep my word.  You will excuse me for adding that my experience and discretion are quite as likely to be useful to her as your enthusiasm.  I know the world well enough to be careful in trusting strangers.  It will do you no harm, Mr. Moody, to follow my example.”

Moody accepted his reproof with becoming patience and resignation.  “If you have anything to propose, sir, that will be of service to Miss Isabel,” he said, “I shall be happy if I can assist you in the humblest capacity.”

“And if not?” Mr. Troy inquired, conscious of having nothing to propose as he asked the question.

“In that case, sir, I must take my own course, and blame nobody but myself if it leads me astray.”

Mr. Troy said no more:  he parted from Moody at the next turning.

Pursuing the subject privately in his own mind, he decided on taking the earliest opportunity of visiting Isabel at her aunt’s house, and on warning her, in her future intercourse with Moody, not to trust too much to the steward’s discretion.  “I haven’t a doubt,” thought the lawyer, “of what he means to do next.  The infatuated fool is going back to Old Sharon!”

CHAPTER X.

RETURNING to his office, Mr. Troy discovered, among the correspondence that was waiting for him, a letter from the very person whose welfare was still the uppermost subject in his mind.  Isabel Miller wrote in these terms: 

“Dear Sir—­My aunt, Miss Pink, is very desirous of consulting you professionally at the earliest opportunity.  Although South Morden is within little more than half an hour’s railway ride from London, Miss Pink does not presume to ask you to visit her, being well aware of the value of your time.  Will you, therefore, be so kind as to let me know when it will be convenient to you to receive my aunt at your office in London?  Believe me, dear sir, respectfully yours, ISABEL MILLER.  P.S.—­I am further instructed to say that the regrettable event at Lady Lydiard’s house is the proposed subject of the consultation.  The Lawn, South Morden.  Thursday.”

Mr. Troy smiled as he read the letter.  “Too formal for a young girl!” he said to himself.  “Every word of it has been dictated by Miss Pink.”  He was not long in deciding what course he should take.  There was a pressing necessity for cautioning Isabel, and here was his opportunity.  He sent for his head clerk, and looked at his list of engagements for the day.  There was nothing set down in the book which the clerk was not quite as well able to do as the master.  Mr. Troy consulted his railway-guide, ordered his cab, and caught the next train to South Mord en.