now, and the ink is faded to a pale dusky red; and they must
not be roughly unfolded lest they should crack at the creases. But they
were fresh then, written on stout white paper, each occupying one side
of a sheet that was then folded three or four times, sealed, and
inscribed to "Mistress Marjorie Manners" in the middle, with the word
"Haste" in the lower corner. The lines of writing run close together,
and the flourishes on one line interweave now and again with the tails
on the next.

The first was written within a week of Robin's coming to Rheims, and
told the tale of the sailing, the long rides that followed it, the
pleasure the writer found at coming to a Catholic country, and something
of his adventures upon his arrival with his little party. But names and
places were scrupulously omitted. Dr. Allen was described as "my host";
and, in more than one instance, the name of a town was inscribed with a
line drawn beneath it to indicate that this was a kind of _alias_.

The second letter gave some account of the life lived in Rheims--was a
real boy's letter--and this was more difficult to treat with discretion.
It related that studies occupied a certain part of the day; that
"prayers" were held at such and such times, and that the sports
consisted chiefly of a game called "Cat."

So with the eight or nine that followed. The third and fourth were
bolder, and spoke of certain definitely Catholic practices--of prayers
for the conversion of England, and of mass said on certain days for the
same intention. It seemed as if the writer had grown confident in his
place of security. But later, again, his caution returned to him, and he
spoke in terms so veiled that even Marjorie could scarcely understand
him. Yet, on the whole, the letters, if they had fallen into hostile
hands, would have done no irreparable injury; they would only have
indicated that a Catholic living abroad, in some unnamed university or
college, was writing an account of his life to a Catholic named Mistress
Marjorie Manners, living in England.

* * * * *

When the girl had finished her explaining, it was evident that there was
no longer any need for Anthony to take them with him. He said so.

"Ah! but take them, if you will," cried the girl.

"It would be better not. You have them safe here. And--"

Marjorie flushed. She felt that her ruse had been too plain.

"I would sooner you took them," she said. "You can read t