to him. Duty was before him as a
pole-star. A still small voice was ever whispering to him, "Paul, thy
duty. Do that in spite of anything that may happen to you. Place that
first and foremost, even before self." What, then, was his duty? To
confess to failure and defeat? No, never! That was the coward's part. He
would not rest satisfied until he had made an effort to recover the
letter he had lost, and he told Wyndham so.

"I like your pluck; 'pon my word I do. Didn't think a Gargoyle had so
much--really I didn't," said Wyndham; "but it's no use being foolhardy.
If the letter's at the bottom of the well, how, in the name of wonder,
are you going to get it up again?"

"I don't believe it's at the bottom. The water was pretty thick, I'm
certain, by the odour. There would be vegetable stuff, and that sort of
thing floating on the top of it. Well, if that's so, the letter wouldn't
sink. The gravity of the water would be greater than the weight of the
letter."

"Oh, the Gargoyles do go in a bit for physics--eh?" smiled Wyndham.
"Fire away. I believe you're right. What's the next step?"

"The next step is to go down the well again, and prove whether I'm right
or wrong. Is it asking too much of you to go back with me?"

"You mean going down the well again?"

"If you'll oblige me by again turning the handle."

Wyndham was by this time thoroughly interested in Paul and his mission,
and he couldn't help admiring still further his pluck and determination.
He never imagined that a despised "Gargoyle" had so much of those
qualities. He willingly fell in with Paul's suggestion, and soon they
were back again at the well.

"I've forgotten one thing," said Paul. "I haven't a light."

"Luckily I can lend you one. Wait here for a moment."

Paul waited while Wyndham disappeared among the ruins. Presently he
returned with a lantern, which he lighted and handed to Paul. Thus
equipped, he once more took his position in the bucket.

"Pay out slowly, and I'll tell you when to stop."

The bucket slowly descended till Paul was within a foot or two of the
water.

"Stop!" he shouted.

The bucket stopped, then Paul leaned over the side, and flashed the
light of the lantern on the water. There, to his great joy, was the
missing letter, floating on the weeds. He cautiously leaned forward, and
grasping the letter, returned it once more in safety to his pocket.

"Haul away!" he cried.

And Wyndham hauled away, so that a minute later