In a few minutes the agent entered, she requested him to be seated.  “Reynolds, you too will remain;” then addressing Mr. Russell said, “I have just received the intelligence that Sir Ralph has met with an accident, by rail, resulting, I am told, in a broken limb, which may detain him for some days at the farm house where he now lies; he has requested me to attend him, and bring such things as I may deem necessary, and further directs that you will call over and see him sometime to-morrow.”  She then gave orders to the butler to pack up several changes of his master’s linen, and underclothing in a large trunk and have it sent to her room, as she had bandages, flannel, and other things that it might be necessary to place therein.  This was accordingly done, but as soon as alone she emptied the trunk of its contents, and filled it with her own apparel.  The carriage was then ordered round, the trunks put in, and Mrs. Fraudhurst, who had found a home there for upwards of twenty years, left Vellenaux never again to return to it.

“She has baggage enough for the Seik men of a whole troop,” remarked Bridoon as she passed through the Park gates.

On arriving at the station her first act was to dismiss the carriage, the next to take a ticket for Exeter, and in a snug hostlery in that city made an addition to her toilette, then ordered a cab and proceeded to the principal bank.

“I wish to see the manager,” she said, with a condescending smile.  The obsequious cashier led the way to the sanctum, and ushered her in, for he knew the visitor well, and also knew that opposite her name in the books of the establishment there was an array of figures, representing a goodly amount of the current coin of the realm.

In about ten minutes the lady, accompanied by the manager, returned, and presented a cheque for the full amount of her deposit, which was paid in gold and notes.  This circumstance did not much surprise the banker, for she had done the same on three or four occasions during the last seven years, re-depositing the same amount a few hours after.  She was then politely bowed into her cab and was driven off.  Having settled her bill at the hotel, she drove down to the railway station and procured a ticket for Queenstown, Ireland, and by the time Mr. Russell arrived at the farm house to attend Sir Ralph, Mrs. Fraudhurst was airing herself at the Cove of Cork.  Her object in misleading the man who had been sent to acquaint the agent with what had occurred to Sir Ralph, had thus been effected:  that of gaining time to enable her to quit the country before steps could be taken to arrest her.

“There is not a finer craft swims the ocean than the beauty that lays out yonder,” said a weather-beaten old seaman to a group of sailors, watermen, and others, who were lounging about the dockhead and commenting on the merits of a first-class, clipper-built, full rigged vessel that was lying in the Cove, her sails loosed and the blue Peter or signal for sailing, flying at the fore.