the other side of the
world--an engagement which held him bound, yet left him practically
free.

I knew that Will was to spend Christmas at Bournemouth, and wondered if
he would call on us on his return to discuss the astonishing news, but
though father met him once or twice, he never came near the house until
this morning, this wonderful never-to-be-forgotten morning when Bennett
came to me as I was writing in the library and said that Mr Dudley had
called to see me, and was waiting in the drawing-room.

To see me! Not mother, nor father, nor Vere, but me! My heart gave a
great leap of excitement, and I trembled so violently that I could
hardly walk across the floor. It must be something extraordinary indeed
which brought Will on a special mission to me!

He was standing by the fireplace as I entered the room, and the moment
he saw me he darted forward and seized my hands in both his. The last
time we had met he would not even shake hands at parting. I remembered
that with another thrill of excitement; then he drew me towards the
fireplace and began speaking in quick, excited tones--

"Una, it is all over! Rachel has set me free! It is her own doing,
entirely her own wish. I had no idea of it until Christmas Eve, when
she sent me a letter telling me that she was going to South Africa with
her mother, and could not continue our engagement. She asked me not to
come to Bournemouth as arranged, but I went all the same. I could not
accept a written word after all these years. I wanted to satisfy myself
that she was in earnest."

"And was she?"

"Absolutely! I could not touch her decision--sweet and gentle and
kindly as ever, but perfectly determined to end it once for all."

"Do you think that Mrs Greaves--"

"No, she has had nothing to do with it. The decision was as great a
surprise to her as to me. She told me that she would never have
consented to the South African scheme if Rachel had not first confided
in her that she wished to break her engagement, and would be glad to be
out of England. I think she is genuinely sorry. She and I were always
good friends."

"Then why--why--why--"

"A matter of feeling entirely. Stay, I will give you her letter to
read. It will explain better than I can, and there is nothing that she
could mind your seeing."

He took an envelope from his coat pocket, unfolded the sheet of paper
which it contained, and held it before me. I was so shaky and trembling
tha