ut of town, and showed him the
address you left. When I went to hannounce dinner, sir, he was sitting
in his arm-chair with his hat on. I thought he was asleep. I sent for
Dr. McMasters, sir, but it was no use. Dr. McMasters said it was the
'art, sir."

"You have notified my grandfather, have you not?"

"Yes, sir, I did, sir; Mr. Van Norden came in this morning, and left
word as how he would like to see you when you got back, sir."

"Very good. Call Davis, and get my things from the cabman."

"Yes, sir; thank you, sir. I beg pardon, sir," he added, "would you wish
some dinner? There's a nice fillet and a savory."

IX.

The morning after the funeral Tristrem received a letter from Mrs.
Raritan, and a little later a small package by express. The letter was
not long, and its transcription is unnecessary. It was to the effect
that on maturer consideration Viola had decided that the engagement into
which she had entered was untenable. To this decision Mrs. Raritan felt
herself reluctantly obliged to concur. It was not that Mr. Varick was
one whom she would be unwilling to welcome as her daughter's husband. On
the contrary, he was in many respects precisely what she most desired.
But Viola was young; she felt that she had a vocation to which marriage
would be an obstacle, and in the circumstances Viola was the better
judge. In any event, Mr. Varick was requested to consider the decision
as irrevocable. Then followed a few words of sympathy and a line of
condolence expressive of Mrs. Raritan's regret that the breaking of the
engagement should occur at a time when Tristrem was in grievous
affliction.

In the package were the jewels.

Tristrem read the letter as though he were reading some accusation of
felony levelled at him in the public press. If it had been a meteor
which had fallen at his feet he could not have wondered more. Indeed, it
was surprise that he felt. It was not anger or indignation; they were
after-comers. For the moment he was merely bewildered. It seemed to him
incredible that such a thing could be. He read the letter again, and
even examined the post-mark. At first he was for starting at once for
Narragansett. If he could but see Viola! The excuse about a vocation was
nonsense. Had he not told her that if she insisted on going on the
stage, he would sit in the stalls and applaud. No, it was not that; it
was because--After all, it was his own fault; if he had been unable to
make himself belo