outsider. In such a case his own conduct would appear blacker than ever.

The manager's representative was really sorry for the doctor's
disappointment. The old man seemed to him a pathetic figure, weary with
many days of travelling only to find that his journey had been taken in
vain, so far as its chief object was concerned. He suggested a cable
message. "You could send it from Victoria, to the care of the Steamship
Company, or to his private address in London--perhaps the latter would
be the better plan." And he took a paper from the desk and read, "Care
of Hilary Forester, Esq., 50 Royal Gate, London, S.W."

A smothered exclamation escaped the doctor. "I'll send a message," he
said. "When is there a steamer back to Victoria?"

"Well, if you don't much mind what you go in, there is one to-morrow,
but it won't travel quicker than eight knots an hour in smooth water,"
with a laugh.

"I'll take it," said Dr. Hunter decidedly. "It is important that I should
get back as soon as possible."

Poor old man, he had been so anxious to tell his tale himself to Hugh
Davidson, to throw himself upon the generosity of the man he had
injured. He had wished to entreat him not to tell Marjory of the part he
had played; he could not bear that her memory of him should be
embittered by the knowledge of that wrong--that wrong which by reason of
his biassed mind had seemed right, until the fearless words of a good
and gentle woman had aided the voice of his own conscience and
pronounced it wrong.

But now Marjory would hear the story from other lips, and what would he
seem in her eyes? Would she banish him from his place in her heart?
Would she think bitterly of him and reproach him with those fifteen
years of silence? Would she not blame him for keeping her away from the
world, even from the knowledge of the true personality of her mother,
into whose room he had not allowed her to penetrate, in case that what
she saw there might influence the childish mind in a way her uncle did
not wish. It was not to be expected that the girl should understand his
reasons.

He determined to start on his homeward journey the next day, and to
send the cable message from the first possible point.

Meanwhile his new friend offered the hospitality of his home to Dr.
Hunter, and the invitation was given in such a hearty way that it would
have seemed ungracious to refuse it. He thought that evening that many
people at home would open their eyes were th