stopher had felt sharp twinges
of conscience, and deep misgivings as to the course he had pursued in
leaving his wife a single day in the dark. Complete convalescence had
cleared his moral sentiments, and perhaps, after all, the discovery
of the diamonds had co-operated; since now the insurance money was no
longer necessary to keep his wife from starving.

"Ah!" said he; "faith is a great quality; and how I have lacked it!"

To do him justice, he knew his wife's excitable nature, and was not
without fears of some disaster, should the news be communicated to her
unskilfully.

But this proposal of Falcon's made the way clearer. Mrs. Falcon, though
not a lady, had all a lady's delicacy, and all a woman's tact and
tenderness. He knew no one in the world more fit to be trusted with
the delicate task of breaking to his Rosa that the grave, for once, was
baffled, and her husband lived. He now became quite anxious for Falcon's
departure, and ardently hoped that worthy had not deceived himself as to
Mrs. Falcon's desire to visit England.

In short, it was settled that Falcon should start for Dale's Kloof,
taking with him the diamonds, believed to be worth altogether three
thousand pounds at Cape Town, and nearly as much again in England, and
a long letter to Mrs. Falcon, in which Staines revealed his true story,
told her where to find his wife, or hear of her, viz., at Kent Villa,
Gravesend, and sketched an outline of instructions as to the way, and
cunning degrees, by which the joyful news should be broken to her. With
this he sent a long letter to be given to Rosa herself, but not till she
should know all: and in this letter he enclosed the ruby ring she had
given him. That ring had never left his finger, by sea or land, in
sickness or health.

The letter to Rosa was sealed. The two letters made quite a packet;
for, in the letter to his beloved Rosa, he told her everything that had
befallen him. It was a romance, and a picture of love; a letter to lift
a loving woman to heaven, and almost reconcile her to all her bereaved
heart had suffered.

This letter, written with many tears from the heart that had so
suffered, and was now softened by good fortune and bounding with joy,
Staines entrusted to Falcon, together with the other diamonds, and with
many warm shakings of the hand, started him on his way.

"But mind, Falcon," said Christopher, "I shall expect an answer from
Mrs. Falcon in twenty days at farthest. I do not fe