t met and fallen
in love with Bluebell on the steamer, and subsequently persuaded her to
elope with him.

He did not deny the interested motives which had afterwards induced him
to conceal the marriage; but Cecil's upright mind recoiled at the
unworthy deception, and the strong view she took of it made short work
of the extenuating circumstances advanced by Harry.

The dying appeal to Lord Bromley had, of course, been burnt since its
writer's recovery; but Dutton, now thoroughly ashamed of his shabby
policy, vowed to Cecil that he would abandon all thoughts of inheritance,
and boldly acknowledge his marriage to Lord Bromley as soon as he should
set foot in England.

This was their last interview; for, as he had now approached
convalescence, she had no further excuse for ministering to Harry.

It was some time since he had received tidings from his wife, having
purposely kept her in ignorance when he volunteered into Peel's brigade.
Then he was wounded and laid up at Scutari, so whatever letters she might
have written would be on board the "Druid."

Now he must apprise her of his approaching return and explain his long
silence. As it happened, a homeward-bound steamer sailed within a few
days of the one which carried this letter, and Dutton, obtaining a
passage in the former, which happened to the faster of the two, arrived
in England almost simultaneously.

Without further notice, he rushed down to Wimbledon, and, had she been
there, would speedily have solved the mystery that had so exercised Mrs.
Markham. But, lo! on reaching Heatherbrae, he beheld with a sinking heart
a conspicuous board on the garden-gate, with the words, "To be let,
furnished," legibly inscribed thereon.

Weak from his illness and the disappointment, Harry leant against the
railings to consider and recover. He had been so secure of finding
Bluebell there, and during the whole hurried journey was picturing the
meeting. How would she look? He knew so well the fluttering colour that
changed in any emotion, pleasurable or otherwise: but would he see a true
loving welcome in those transparent eyes? He had considered every
probability or improbability of this sort, but not how he should act
in such a dead lock as the present.

Repeated rings at the bell at last brought out the woman in charge, her
arms covered with soap-suds, and gown drawn through a placket-hole.

"The family had gone abroad," she said. "No, she did not know where. The
agent