I
want you to promise something else, too.'

'What is that?'

'I want you to let me know when you have found him.'

'What possible interest can you have in him, Miss Bolivick?'

'I only know that I _am_ interested in him; I couldn't sleep last night
for thinking about him. It's--it's just awful, isn't it? Do you like
Captain Springfield?'

'I neither like nor dislike him. I only met him an hour or two ago,
and in all probability I shall never see him again.'

'Oh, but you will. You are a friend of Sir Roger Granville's, aren't
you?'

'Scarcely. I happen to have been brought into contact with him because
of this work I am doing, and he has been very kind to me. That is all.
I have never been here before, and probably I shall never come again.'

'Oh, yes, you will. Sir Roger likes you, so does Lady Granville; they
said so last night after you went to bed. I am sure you will come here
again.'

'I shall be awfully glad if I do, especially if it will lead to my
seeing you.'

'Don't be silly,' and she spoke with all the freedom of a child; 'all
the same, I'd like you to meet my father. He'd like to know you, too.
We only live about five miles away. Ours is a dear old house; it is
close by the village of South Petherwin. Can you remember that?'

'If I have to write you about Paul Edgecumbe, will that find you?'

'Yes. You needn't put Bolivick, which is the name of the house,
because every one who is called Bolivick lives at Bolivick, don't you
see? I shall expect to hear from you directly you find him. You are
sure you won't forget?'

I laughed at the girl's insistence. 'To make it impossible,' I said,
'I will put it down in my diary. Here we are. May 29,--you see there
is a good big space for writing. "I give my promise, that as soon as I
have found the man, Paul Edgecumbe, I will write Miss Lorna Bolivick
and acquaint her of the fact."'

'That's right. Now then, sign your name.'

I laughingly did as she desired.

'I am going to witness it,' she said, and there was quite a serious
tone in her voice. She took my pencil, and wrote in a somewhat crude,
schoolgirl hand,--'Witnessed by Lorna Bolivick, Bolivick, South
Petherwin.' 'You can't get rid of it now,' she said.

While she was writing, I happened to look up, and saw Norah Blackwater,
who was accompanied by George St. Mabyn and Captain Springfield.

'What deep plot are you engaged in?' asked Norah Blackwater.

'It's only some p