sounded in his voice. Kelly the simple-minded
had ever been an admirer of art.

Sylvia went on very wearily. "The box was kept in a cupboard in
the room he was sleeping in. The rest was quite easy. He left the
key behind him in the lock. I found it after you and Burke had
gone to the Merstons'. I guessed what had happened of course. I
went round to his hut, but it was all fastened up as usual. Then I
went to Piet Vreiboom's." She shuddered suddenly. "I saw Kieff as
well as Vreiboom. They seemed hugely amused at my appearance, and
told me Guy was just ahead on the way to Brennerstadt. It was too
late to ride the whole way, so I went to Ritzen, hoping to find him
there. But I could get no news of him, so I came on by train in
the morning. I ought to have got here long ago, but the engine
broke down. We were held up for hours, and so I arrived--too late."

The utter dreariness of her speech went straight to Kelly's heart.
"Ah, there now--there now!" he said. "If I'd only known I'd have
followed and helped ye that night."

"You see, I didn't know you were coming back," she said. "And
anyhow I couldn't have waited. I had to start at once. It was--my
job." She smiled faintly, a smile that was sadder than tears.

"And do ye know what happened?" said Kelly. "Did Burke tell ye
what happened?"

She shook her head. "No. He told me very little. I suppose he
concluded that we had run away together."

"Ah no! That wasn't his doing," said Kelly, paused a moment, then
plunged valiantly at the truth. "That was mine. I thought so
meself--foul swine as ye may very well call me. Kieff told me
so--the liar; and I--like a blasted fool--believed it. At least,
no, I didn't right at the heart of me, Mrs. Ranger. I knew what ye
were, just the same as I know now. But I'd seen ye look into his
eyes when ye begged him off the brandy-bottle, and I knew the
friendship between ye wasn't just the ordinary style of thing; no
more is it. But it was that devil Kieff that threw the mud. I
found him waiting that night when I got back. He was waiting for
Burke, he said; and his story was that he and Vreiboom had seen the
pair of ye eloping. I nearly murdered him at the time. Faith, I
wish I had!" ended Kelly pathetically, with tears in his eyes. "It
would have stopped a deal of mischief both now and hereafter."

"Never mind!" said Sylvia gently. "You couldn't tell. You hadn't
known me more than a few hours."