desirable an associate than
ever. He would have been justified in taking a high standpoint from
which to deal with him--since whatever his own errors had been, they
would never be revealed now--but somehow, he adopted an almost
conciliatory tone.

'The fact is,' he replied, with an embarrassed cough, 'it's about that
letter of Holroyd's.'

Caffyn's face slightly changed.

'The devil it is!' he said. 'Thought I'd heard the last of that long
ago!'

'You're likely to hear a good deal more about it, I'm afraid,' said
Mark. 'It has only just come out that it was his, and unopened--you
will find it awkward to contradict.'

Caffyn was silent for a time. Dolly must have spoken again. What a
fool he had been to trust a child a second time!--and yet he had had
no choice. 'Well,' he said at last, 'and what are _you_ going to do
about it?'

Mark's throat grew huskier. It was odd, for there was really no reason
for being afraid of the man. 'Well, I--in short, I may as well tell
you plainly, my wife thinks it is better we should not see any more of
you in future.'

There was a dangerous look in Caffyn's eye which Mark did not at all
like. 'Ah, well, of course you mean to talk her out of that?' he said
lightly.

Was there a concealed menace in his tone? If so, Mark thought, he
probably considered that his services connected with Vincent's sudden
return gave him a claim. Well, he must disabuse him of that idea at
once.

'It would be of no use if I tried to talk her out of it; but, to be
quite candid, I--I don't intend to do anything of the kind.... I know
we've been friends and all that sort of thing, and till I knew this I
always said what I could for you; but--but this suppressing a letter
is very different. I can't feel the same myself for you after that, it
is better to tell you so distinctly. And then--there is poor little
Dolly--she is my sister now--it seems you have been frightening her a
second time.'

'On whose account--eh, Ashburn?' asked Caffyn.

Mark had expected this. 'I'm sorry to say on mine,' he replied; 'but
if I had known, do you suppose that for one moment---- I don't deny
that, as I told you at the time, I was glad to see Holroyd leave town
just then; but it was--was not so important as all that! Still you did
me a service, and I'm sorry to have to do this, but I can't help
myself. You will find others harder on you than I am!'

'Does that mean that Mrs. Langton has been told this precious story