Val said several times to
Daphne when her mother-in-law had gone. She meant that she could think.

"Well, you'll know directly. Harry's arriving."

Harry found it in the hall, and came in with it.

"You open it for me," he said, giving it to Val.

Since his last instructions to Alec he felt perfectly safe.

She read--

"_Thousand thanks awfully bucked at letter at Queens' Hotel Cowes
for three days could you join us there wire reply fondest love and
kisses._

_Johnson_."

CHAPTER XXIX

GLADYS

On arriving in London, Vaughan found his secretary with the usual
heaps of letters. One envelope, addressed in a large and rather
infantine hand, was put aside for him. The note ran--

"The Baldfaced Stag,
Edgware.

"Dear Mr. Vaughan,

"I eard only yesterday that the play you kindly sent me and mother
to was wrote by you, I call it a shame you didn't tell me before,
we saw the name on the programme, but never thought it could be the
same but yesterday mother saw a piece in the paper about you in the
weekly dispatch and she said it was the same, I'm sory I said the
people in the play went on silly I beg pardon for calling the play
silly I wouldnt have done it if Id known, so hope youre not angry,
they seemed to me to go on silly, but I dont reelly know much
about those kind of ladies and gentlemen, we saw the piece in the
paper only yesterday and mother said it was the same, we hope you
will soon come again to tea the calf is better believe me yours
truly

"GLADIS ADELAIDE BRILL."

He instantly wrote back--

"Dear Miss Brill,

"I am _so_ relieved and thankful to hear the calf is better, all
the more because I had no idea it had been indisposed. I fancied,
though, it was looking a little pale the last time I had the
pleasure of meeting it in the field. Please don't think again of
your criticism. It gave me very great pleasure. You must think me
very foolish. You could say nothing that I would not like except to
ask me not to come and see you. I am very busy just now and so have
little time for afternoon calls, but will come one of these days
soon.

"Yours alwa