"There's something behind you, Hephzy. Some other reason that you
haven't told me. Was that all Bayliss said?"

She hesitated. "Yes," she said, after a moment, "that's all, all I can
tell you now, anyway. But I want you to go with me to that Ash Dump and
see her once more."

"I shall not, Hephzy."

"Well, then I'll have to go by myself. And if you don't go, too, I
think you'll be awfully sorry. I think you will. Oh, Hosy," pleadingly,
"please go with me. I don't ask you to do many things, now do I? I do
ask you to do this."

I shook my head.

"I would do almost anything for your sake, Hephzy," I began.

"But this isn't for my sake. It's for hers. For hers. I'm sure--I'm
ALMOST sure you and she will both be glad you did it."

I could not understand it at all. I had never seen her more earnest. She
was not the one to ask unreasonable things and yet where her sister's
child was concerned she could be obstinate enough--I knew that.

"I shall go whether you do or not," she said, as I stood looking at her.

"You mean that, Hephzy?"

"I surely do. I'm goin' to see her this very forenoon. And I do hope
you'll go with me."

I reflected. If she went alone it would be almost as hard for Frances
as if I went with her. And the temptation was very strong. The desire to
see her once more, only once....

"I'll go, Hephzy," I said. I didn't mean to say it; the words seemed to
come of themselves.

"You will! Oh, I'm so glad! I'm so glad! And I think--I think you'll be
glad, too, Hosy. I'm hopin' you will."

"I'll go," I said. "But this is the last time you and I must trouble
her. I'll go--not because of any reason you have given me, Hephzy, but
because I believe there must be some other and stronger reason, which
you haven't told me."

Hephzy drew a long breath. She seemed to be struggling between a desire
to tell me more--whatever that more might be--and a determination not to
tell.

"Maybe there is, Hosy," she said, slowly. "Maybe there is. I--I--Well,
there! I must go and buy the tickets. You sit down and wait. I'm skipper
of this craft to-day, you know. I'm in command on this voyage."

Leatherhead looked exactly as it had on our previous visit. "Ash Clump,"
the villa which the Crippses had been so anxious for us to hire, was
still untenanted, or looked to be. We walked on until we reached the
Cripps home and entered the Cripps gate. I rang the bell and the maid
answered the ring.

In answer to our inquirie