hasn't seen for a long time.... Oh, if
it really _is_ ... I must go and see!'

Caffyn saw his best course now was the hazardous one of telling the
truth. 'Well,' he said, 'as it happens, you're right. Vincent was
_not_ drowned, and he is here--but I don't advise you to go to see him
for all that.'

'Why?' said Dolly, with her joy suddenly checked--she scarcely knew
why.

'He's in a fearful rage with you just now,' said Caffyn; 'he's found
out about that letter--that letter you burnt.'

'Mabel said I was never to worry about that horrid letter any
more--and I'm not going to--so it's no use your trying to make me,'
said Dolly defiantly. And then, as her fears grew, she added, 'What
about that letter?'

'Well,' said Caffyn, 'it appears that the letter you tore the stamp
off was from Vincent (it had a foreign stamp, I remember), and it was
very important. He never got an answer, and he found out somehow that
it was because you burnt it--and then--my goodness, Dolly, what a rage
he was in!'

'I don't care,' said Dolly. 'Mabel will tell Vincent how it was--_she_
knows.'

'Ah, but you see she _don't_ know,' said Caffyn. 'Do you suppose if
she had known who the letter was from and what it was about she would
have taken it so quietly? Why, she thinks it was only an old envelope
you burnt--I heard her say so--you know she still believes Vincent is
dead. She doesn't know the truth yet, but Vincent will tell her. Are
you coming up to see him?'

'No,' said Dolly, trembling; 'I--I think I won't--not to-day.'

'Wise child!' said Caffyn, approvingly. 'Between ourselves, Dolly,
poor Vincent has come back in such a queer state that he's not fit to
see anyone just yet, and we're dreadfully afraid of his meeting Mabel
and frightening her.'

'Oh, don't let him come--don't!' cried terrified Dolly.

'Well, I tell you what we've done--I got Mark to agree to it--we
haven't told him that you're any of you at home at all; he thinks
you're all away, and he's coming with me into the country to-morrow;
so, unless you tell Mabel you've seen him----'

'Oh, but I won't; I don't _want_ her to know--not now!' said Dolly.
'Oh, and I was so glad when I first heard of it! Is he--is he _very_
angry, Harold?'

'I don't advise you to come near him just yet,' he said. 'You won't
tell Fraeulein, of course? I'll see you to the carriage ... how do,
Fraeulein? Home, I suppose?' And the last thing he saw was Dolly's
frightened glance up at the win