he amounts, passing over to her the original small
sums, while he kept the rest to pay his debts. Herresford's opinion of
him has been very small all along; but nobody expected the lad to steal.
Such a pity! Such a fine chap, too--the sort of boy girls go silly about,
but lacking in backbone and stability. The matter of the checks has been
kept from his father for the present, poor man. He knows nothing
whatever about it."

"Father, the things you tell me sound like the horrible complications of
a nightmare. They are absurd."

"Absurd! Why, I've seen the forged checks, girl. The silly young fool
forgot to use the same colored ink as in the body of the check. A few
days afterward, the added figures and words dried black as jet, whereas
the ink used by Herresford dried a permanent blue."

"Mr. Ormsby showed you the checks?"

"Yes. Dora--Dora--don't look like that! I understand, my girl. I know you
were fond of the boy, and I disapproved of it from the beginning. I said
nothing, in case he didn't come home from the front. Put him out of your
heart, my girl--out of mind. I'm as sorry about everything as if he were
a boy of my own, and, if I could do anything for poor John Swinton and
his wife, I would. I saw Mrs. Swinton yesterday driving, looking superbly
handsome, as usual, but turned to stone. Poor old John goes about,
saying, 'My son isn't dead! My son isn't dead!' and nobody contradicts
him."

"And Netty?" asked Dora, with a sob.

"Oh! nobody bothers about her. It'll postpone her marriage with Harry
Bent, I suppose, for a little while. They were to have been married as
soon as he was well enough. Sit up, my girl--sit up. Keep a straight
upper lip. You're under fire, and it's hot."

"I can't--I can't!" sobbed Dora, burying her face in her hands, and
swaying dangerously. Her father rushed forward to catch her, and held her
to his heart, where she sobbed out her grief. While they stood thus, in
the centre of the room, the servant announced Mr. Ormsby.

At the mention of his name, Dora cried out in anger, and declared that
she would not see him. But her father hushed her, and nodded to the
servant as a sign that the unwelcome gentleman was to be shown into the
room.

"We're a little upset, Ormsby--we're a little upset," cried the colonel.
"But a soldier's daughter is not afraid of her tears being seen. We were
talking about poor Swinton. Dora has only just heard. How do things go at
the rectory? And what's Herre