is getting on.'

She darted into the house, and Clare, sinking into a chair on the shady
verandah, prepared herself to enjoy one of Captain Knox's periodical
epistles. They were always full of life and interest; and Clare was
beginning to feel a sick longing to have him back with her again. Even
as she read she let the letter fall in her lap whilst she mused upon
the past. 'I used to be so cross to him. I took all his love and
attention so coolly. If I only had him back again, how different I
would be! He was always so unselfish, and I was so selfish and
discontented. I can't think now how I could have been unhappy when I
was constantly seeing him. Oh, Hugh! if you could come to me now, I
would never grumble again! One touch, one word, one look, if only I
could have it!'

And Clare's blue eyes filled with tears, and her sight was dim as she
finished reading her letter. She remained motionless for some minutes
then, and was rising slowly from her seat to go and hear the news of
Gwen, when a slip of paper fluttered out of the envelope. It was a
postscript as follows:--

'Here is Mr. Lester's motto on the carved scroll. It was in Arabic, as
I thought, and the translation is something like this:--

'A closed bud containeth
Possibilities infinite and unknown.'

Clare folded it up with a sigh.

'There is no clue there, that I can see. I will have another look at
the cupboard this afternoon.'

She joined her sisters, and heard a racy account of Gwen's experiences
on board ship. She had fallen in with nice people--a Mr. and Mrs.
Montmorency, going out to California for the third time to look after
some property of theirs.

'We are great friends,' Gwen wrote. 'Mr. Montmorency is a clever,
well-read man--can talk on any subject, and has been in California for
nearly thirty years. His advice would be invaluable to Walter. I am
asking them to come and pay us a visit when they are in our
neighbourhood, which they hope to be before long, and they have
promised to do so. Mr. Montmorency does not think farming pays in
Walter's locality. He says there are many things more profitable; but
I will not tell you all our talk. I spend most of my time with them.
You may be interested in hearing that Clement Arkwright is on board.
But I give him a wide berth. He asked some rather impertinent
questions the first time we spoke to each other. I showed him it would
not answer, and now we pass each other with