“‘Perhaps, Alice, you had better leave us together,’ she said, and her daughter

withdrew. ‘Now, sir,’ she continued, ‘I had no intention of telling you all

this, but since my poor daughter has disclosed it I have no alternative. Having

once decided to speak, I will tell you all without omitting any particular.’

 

“‘It is your wisest course,’ said I.

 

“‘Mr. Drebber has been with us nearly three weeks. He and his secretary, Mr.

Stangerson, had been travelling on the Continent. I noticed a “Copenhagen” label

upon each of their trunks, showing that that had been their last stopping place.

Stangerson was a quiet reserved man, but his employer, I am sorry to say, was

far otherwise.

 

He was coarse in his habits and brutish in his ways. The very night of his

arrival he became very much the worse for drink, and, indeed, after twelve

o’clock in the day he could hardly ever be said to be sober. His manners towards

the maid-servants were disgustingly free and familiar.

 

Worst of all, he speedily assumed the same attitude towards my daughter, Alice,

and spoke to her more than once in a way which, fortunately, she is too innocent

to understand. On one occasion he actually seized her in his arms and embraced

her—an outrage which caused his own secretary to reproach him for his unmanly

conduct.’

 

“‘But why did you stand all this?’ I asked. ‘I suppose that you can get rid of