d there is no question of
shielding you, I wanted him to know everything. He is a very shrewd
adviser, too, in a way of his own; and I should like to have him with me
when I see Marlowe. I have a feeling that two heads will be better than
one on my side of the interview.'

She sighed. 'Yes, of course, uncle ought to know the truth. I hope there
is nobody else at all.' She pressed his hand. 'I so much want all that
horror buried--buried deep. I am very happy now, dear, but I shall be
happier still when you have satisfied that curious mind of yours and
found out everything, and stamped down the earth upon it all.' She
continued her reading.

QUITE RECENTLY, HOWEVER [the letter went on], FACTS HAVE COME TO MY
KNOWLEDGE WHICH HAVE LED ME TO CHANGE MY DECISION. I DO NOT MEAN THAT I
SHALL PUBLISH WHAT I DISCOVERED, BUT THAT I HAVE DETERMINED TO APPROACH
YOU AND ASK YOU FOR A PRIVATE STATEMENT. IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY
WHICH WOULD PLACE THE MATTER IN ANOTHER LIGHT, I CAN IMAGINE NO REASON
WHY YOU SHOULD WITHHOLD IT.

I EXPECT, THEN, TO HEAR FROM YOU WHEN AND WHERE I MAY CALL UPON YOU;
UNLESS YOU PREFER THE INTERVIEW TO TAKE PLACE AT MY HOTEL. IN EITHER
CASE I DESIRE THAT MR CUPPLES, WHOM YOU WILL REMEMBER, AND WHO HAS READ
THE ENCLOSED DOCUMENT, SHOULD BE PRESENT ALSO.--FAITHFULLY YOURS, PHILIP
TRENT.

What a very stiff letter!' she said. 'Now I am sure you couldn't have
made it any stiffer in your own rooms.'

Trent slipped the letter and enclosure into a long envelope. 'Yes,' he
said, 'I think it will make him sit up suddenly. Now this thing
mustn't run any risk of going wrong. It would be best to send a special
messenger with orders to deliver it into his own hands. If he's away it
oughtn't to be left.'

She nodded. 'I can arrange that. Wait here for a little.'

When Mrs Manderson returned, he was hunting through the music cabinet.
She sank on the carpet beside him in a wave of dark brown skirts. 'Tell
me something, Philip,' she said.

'If it is among the few things that I know.'

'When you saw uncle last night, did you tell him about--about us?' 'I
did not,' he answered. 'I remembered you had said nothing about telling
any one. It is for you--isn't it?--to decide whether we take the world
into our confidence at once or later on.'

'Then will you tell him?' She looked down at her clasped hands. 'I wish
you to tell him. Perhaps if you think you will guess why.... There! that
is settled.' She lifted her eyes a