But oh, my dear, when I saw the shrood, and
kent what it might mean, I expeckit to see the worms crawl round yer
feet. But do ye ask yer man to tell ye what I tell't him that morn.
'Twill interest ye to know how the hairt o' men can learn by dreams. Has
he ever tellt ye aught o' this?"

"No, dear," she said simply. "I think that perhaps he was afraid that
one or other of us, if not both, might be upset by it if he did. You
see, he did not tell you anything at all of our meeting, though I am sure
that he will be glad when he knows that we both know all about it, and
have told each other everything."

That was very sweet of her, and very thoughtful in all ways, so I said
that which I thought would please her best--that is, the truth:

"Ah, lassie, that is what a wife should be--what a wife should do.
Rupert is blessed and happy to have his heart in your keeping."

I knew from the added warmth of her kiss what I had said had pleased her.

_Letter from Ernest Roger Halbard Melton_, _Humcroft_, _Salop_, _to
Rupert Sent Leger_, _Vissarion_, _Land of the Blue Mountains_.

_July_ 29, 1907.

MY DEAR COUSIN RUPERT,

We have heard such glowing accounts of Vissarion that I am coming out
to see you. As you are yourself now a landowner, you will understand
that my coming is not altogether a pleasure. Indeed, it is a duty
first. When my father dies I shall be head of the family--the family
of which Uncle Roger, to whom we were related, was a member. It is
therefore meet and fitting that I should know something of our family
branches and of their Seats. I am not giving you time for much
warning, so am coming on immediately--in fact, I shall arrive almost
as soon as this letter. But I want to catch you in the middle of
your tricks. I hear that the Blue Mountaineer girls are peaches, so
don't send them _all_ away when you hear I'm coming!

Do send a yacht up to Fiume to meet me. I hear you have all sorts of
craft at Vissarion. The MacSkelpie, I hear, said you received her as
a Queen; so I hope you will do the decent by one of your own flesh
and blood, and the future Head of the House at that. I shan't bring
much of a retinue with me. _I_ wasn't made a billionaire by old
Roger, so can only take my modest "man Friday"--whose name is
Jenkinson, and a Cockney at that. So don't have to