ame time they were, and a grand lady, who was lodging at
Essec Powell's at the time, took the sister away with her, and brought
her up as her own daughter, and we have never heard of her since. 'But
I will find her, Nance,' she said. 'I _will_ find her! I know I
will!'"

"But have you never heard from her?"

"Well, indeed, there was a letter," said Nance, "came soon after she
left. Dr. Francis read it to me, and I think I put it in that teapot,
but I am not sure; indeed, perhaps Peggie has thrown it away."

"And what did she say?"

"'Oh!' she said, 'I have found my sister, Nance, and you must not be
unhappy about me, everybody is so kind to me. If anyone comes to ask
for me, say I am here,' but she didn't say where!"

"But the address was at the top of the letter," said Cardo.

"Oh, anwl! I daresay it was. I never thought of that! There's a pity
now; but try again to read that--she read it."

"Well, let me see," said Cardo, taking the faded paper to the window.

"Mrs. Besborough Power?"

"That's it!" said Nance.

"Carew?"

"No; that's not right."

"Carne?"

"Yes; that's what she called it."

"Montgomeryshire?"

"No; she wrote there and the letter was sent back."

"Then it must be Monmouthshire!"

And with this scant information, and a very heavy heart, Cardo left the
cottage, and, telling Jack Harris to meet him at the other side of the
island, he made his way up the path which led to the little
burying-ground behind the Rock Church.

"Poor fellow!" said Peggi Bullet, looking after him, "you can't measure
sorrow by the length of a man."

He stepped over the low wall which divided it from the coarse grass of
the cliffs, and immediately found himself in a sunny corner. The
little grassy mounds were numerous, few had headstones; but one, marked
by a little white cross, had evidently received much care and
attention. The grass was soft and fine as velvet. Cardo approached it
with sorrowful reverence; he stooped to read the inscription.

"In memory of Robert Powell ----. Born, June 30th. Died, August 30th."

The blank space puzzled him for a moment, but, as he stood with folded
arms looking down at the little mound, a sudden revelation seemed to
flood his mind and enlighten him more thoroughly than all that he had
hitherto heard and done. She had kept faithfully--ah, too
faithfully--her promise to hide the secret of their marriage until he
should come himself to reveal it. How selfi