he be writing when she'll be seeing you any minute?"

Tabs squared his lips. He began to feel the stirring of a storm of
anxiety. "Perhaps, because she doesn't intend to be seeing me any
minute." He looked at the postmark. It had been mailed at eleven o'clock
that morning in Gloucester. He tore the envelope and commenced to read.
Before he had read far, he turned with a worried expression to Lady
Dawn. "This concerns you as well." She came and stood beside his elbow.
They glanced through the pages together. It was written on commercial
note-paper of _The New Inn_, Gloucester, and ran:

DEAREST TABS:

I love you very much--just as much as ever. I always want you to feel
sure of that. But my love isn't the kind you've asked for. It never
can be. Because of this there are so many things that I've not been
able to tell you--so I've been avoiding and deceiving you ever since
you came back. I know I've not been honorable. A promise once given
ought to be sacred; I gave you my promise that I would marry you. But
that's all I could do for you now--just marry you; I couldn't give
you the other things you would have a right to expect. I ought to
have said, the other things you have earned and deserved more than
any man. So, though I married you, I should still be robbing you,
which would be even more treacherous than not fulfilling a promise.

That I'm in love with General Braithwaite is no news to you. Love may
not be the proper word. At least I'm so infatuated with him that
there's no room in my heart for any other man. Do you remember that
night in March, when you dined with us and asked my father for my
hand, and next morning early I came round in a panic to your house? I
didn't dare tell you all my trouble. The General had urged me to
elope with him. I _wish, wish, wish_ that I had. I should be his now
and sure of him. By delaying and suspecting I've all but lost him.

I always knew that he would be a big man--as big after the war as he
was while it lasted. What this morning's papers say about him proves
it. So for all these reasons and because I can't bear to face you at
the Castle, I'm taking my fate in my hands. Please tell Lady Dawn
that I shan't be back and excuse me in any way you can. I'm only
carrying one small bag; she can send the rest of my things after me.

There's one request I have to make--that neither of you will notify
m