of fluted grace notes. And on the grass oval a kitten
frisked with the ghosts of last month's dandelions, racing after the
drifting fluff and occasionally keeling over to attack its own tail,
after the enchanting manner of all kittens.

A step behind him and Neeland turned. It was Marotte, the butler, who
presented a thick, sealed envelope to him on his salver, bent to turn
down the flame under the singing silver kettle, and withdrew without a
sound.

Neeland glanced at the letter in perplexity, opened the envelope and
the twice-folded sheets of letter paper inside, and read this odd
communication:

* * * * *

Have I been fair to you? Did I keep my word? Surely you must now, in
your heart, acquit me of treachery--of any premeditated violence
toward you.

I never dreamed that those men would come to my stateroom. That plan
_had_ been discussed, but was abandoned because it appeared impossible
to get hold of you.

And also--may I admit it without being misunderstood?--I absolutely
refused to permit any attempt involving your death.

When the trap shut on you, there in my stateroom, it shut also on me.
I was totally unprepared; I was averse to murder; and also I had given
you my word of honour.

Judge, then, of my shame and desperation--my anger at being entrapped
in a false position involving the loss in your eyes of my personal
honour!

It was unbearable: and I did what I could to make it clear to you that
I had not betrayed you. But my comrades do not yet know that I had any
part in it; do not yet understand why the ship was not blown to
splinters. They are satisfied that I made a mistake in the rendezvous.
And, so far, no suspicion attaches to me; they believe the mechanism
of the clock failed them. And perhaps it is well for me that they
believe this.

It is, no doubt, a matter of indifference to you how the others and I
reached safety. I have no delusions concerning any personal and kindly
feeling on your part toward me. But one thing you can not--dare
not--believe, and that is that I proved treacherous to you and false
to my own ideas of honour.

And now let me say one more thing to you--let me say it out of
a--friendship--for which you care nothing--could not care anything.
And that is this: your task is accomplished. You could not possibly
have succeeded. There is no chance for recovery of those papers. Your
mission is definitely ended.

Now, I beg of yo