I assure you,' I added; for I always had a
lurking consciousness that I had no right to know Mr. Hamilton's affairs.

'Well, it does not matter. I daresay Giles will tell you all about
it himself some day. You and he seem great friends, Ursula; and
indeed--indeed I am glad to know it. Poor Giles! Why should you not be
kind to him?'

What in the world could Gladys mean?

'I was only a child,' she went on; 'but of course I remember Ella. She
was very beautiful and fascinating, and she bewitched us all. She had
such lovely eyes, and such a sweet laugh; and she was so full of fun, and
so high-spirited and charming altogether. Giles was very different in
those days; but he reminds me of his old self this evening.'

I made no answer. I seemed to have no words ready, and I was glad when
Gladys rather abruptly changed the subject. Leah was crossing the field
towards the cottage with a basket of eggs on her arm. As we looked after
her, Gladys said quickly--

'Your talk last night seems like a dream. This morning I asked myself,
could it be true--really true--that you saw Eric? I have hardly slept,
Ursula. Indeed, I do not mean to be impatient; but how am I to bear this
restlessness?'

'It is certainly very hard.'

'Oh, so hard! But for Eric's sake I must be patient. I saw the
advertisement this morning in the _Standard_. Lady Betty read it aloud to
us at breakfast-time; but Giles took no notice. I wished that we dared to
tell Mr. Cunliffe about it; he might employ a detective: but I am so
afraid of Etta.'

'I think we may safely wait a little,' I returned. 'I have faith in Joe
Muggins: a five-pound note may do our work without fear of publicity.'

'If you hear any news, if you can find out where he lives, remember that
I must be the first to see him: Giles shall be told, but not until I have
spoken to Eric.'

'Do you think that you will be able to persuade him to come home?'

'I shall not try to persuade him,' she returned proudly. 'I know Eric too
well for that. Nothing will induce him to cross the threshold of Gladwyn
until his innocence is established, until Giles has apologised for the
slur he has thrown upon his character.'

'I am afraid Mr. Hamilton will never do that.'

'Then there will be no possibility of reconciliation with Eric, Ursula.
If Eric does not come home, if things remain as they are, I have made up
my mind to leave Giles's roof. I cannot any longer be separated from
Eric: if he be poor I will