, to say this on paper instead of by word of mouth, and he
ended by expressing the deep gratitude he should always feel for the
kindness shown to him by Mr. Wedmore and all his family during the
happiest period of his life.

Mr. Wedmore read this letter with little astonishment. It was, in fact,
what he had been prepared to hear. He read it to his wife, who cried a
great deal, but acquiesced in her husband's desire that Dudley should
drop not only out of the ranks of their intimate friends, but even, as
much as possible, out of their conversation.

"Let us do our best," said he, "to make Doreen forget him."

Mr. Wedmore showed the letter also to Doctor Haselden, who, perhaps,
from pure love of contradiction, persisted in maintaining that the
letter confessed nothing, and that the cause of the young man's
withdrawal was, in all probability, quite different from what Mr.
Wedmore supposed. The two gentlemen had quite a wrangle over the matter,
at the end of which each was settled more firmly in his own opinion than
before.

When they went upstairs for the night, Doreen came to Queenie's room and
demanded to know what her younger sister and Dudley had been talking
about so earnestly in the breakfast-room that morning.

"What do you mean by talking earnestly?" said Queenie, in the calm, dry
manner which would have made any one but her sister think she was really
surprised.

"Max told me," said Doreen, "and I mean to stay here until I know."

It needed very little reflection to tell Queenie that it was better for
her sister to hear the truth at once. So she told her.

Doreen listened very quietly, and then got up and wished her sister good
night.

"Well," said Queenie, "you take it very quietly. What do you think about
it?"

"I'll tell you--when I know myself," answered Doreen, briefly, as she
left the room. The first result of the talks, however, was a
conversation, not with Queenie, but with her brother, Max. Doreen ran
after him next morning as he was on his way to the stables and made him
take a walk through the park with her instead of going for a ride.

"Max," she said, coaxingly, when they had gone out of sight of the
house, "you have been my confidant about this unhappy affair of
Dudley's--"

But her brother interrupted her, and tried to draw away the arm she had
taken.

"Look here, Doreen," said he earnestly, "you'd better not think any more
about him--much better not. I do really think the poor fell