her.
Sweetwater had lost a clue in a thousand, and Mr. Greywell, no one knew
what he had lost. He said nothing and plainly showed by his changed
manner that he was in haste to land now and be done with this doubtful
adventure.

When they reached the boat-house Mr. Grey left Sweetwater to pay for the
boat and started at once for the hotel.

The man in charge had the bow of the boat in hand, preparatory to
pulling it up on the boards. As Sweetwater turned toward him he caught
sight of the side of the boat, shining brightly in the moonlight. He
gave a start and, with a muttered ejaculation, darted forward and picked
off a small piece of paper from the dripping keel. It separated in his
hand and a part of it escaped him, but the rest he managed to keep
by secreting it in his palm, where it still clung, wet and possibly
illegible, when he came upon Mr. Grey again in the hotel office.

"Here's your pay," said that gentleman, giving him a bill. "I am very
glad I met you. You have served me remarkably well."

There was an anxiety in his face and a hurry in his movements which
struck Sweetwater.

"Does this mean that you are through with me?" asked Sweetwater. "That
you have no further call for my services?"

"Quite so," said the gentleman. "I'm going to take the train to-night. I
find that I still have time."

Sweetwater began to look alive.

Uttering hasty thanks, he rushed away to his own room and, turning on
the gas, peeled off the morsel of paper which had begun to dry on his
hand. If it should prove to be the blank end! If the written part were
the one which had floated off! Such disappointments had fallen to his
lot! He was not unused to them.

But he was destined to better luck this time. The written end had indeed
disappeared, but there was one word left, which he had no sooner read
than he gave a low cry and prepared to leave for New York on the same
train as Mr. Grey.

The word was--diamond.

XXI. GRIZEL! GRIZEL!

I indulged in some very serious thoughts after Mr. Grey's departure. A
fact was borne in upon me to which I had hitherto closed my prejudiced
eyes, but which I could no longer ignore, whatever confusion it brought
or however it caused me to change my mind on a subject which had formed
one of the strongest bases to the argument by which I had sought to save
Mr. Durand. Miss Grey cherished no such distrust of her father as I, in
my ignorance of their relations, had imputed to her in the e