’The next morning I received a letter from Eric, written at the Ship Hotel, Brighton, containing the exact particulars that I have given, and reiterating in the most solemn way that he was perfectly innocent of the shameful crime laid to his charge.

’"You will believe me, Gladys, I know,” he went on.  “You will not let my enemies blacken my memory if you can help it.  If I could only be on the spot to clear up the mystery; for there is a mystery about the cheque.  But I have sworn never to cross the threshold of Gladwyn again until this insult is wiped out and Giles believes in my innocence.  If we never meet again, my sweet sister, you will know I loved you as well as I could love anything; but I was never good and unselfish like you.  And I fear—­I greatly fear—­that I shall never weather through this.”  That was all.  The letter ended abruptly.

’The following afternoon a messenger from the Ship asked to see Mr. Hamilton; and after Giles had been closeted with him for a few minutes he came out, looking white and scared, with Eric’s watch and scarf in his hands.  The man had told him the young gentleman had gone out and had not returned, and they had been found on the beach, at the extreme end of Hove, and they feared something had happened to him.  He had ordered dinner at a certain time, but he had not made his appearance.  The next morning they had heard reports in the town that caused them to institute inquiries.  A letter in the pocket of the coat, directed to Eric Hamilton, Gladwyn, Heathfield, enabled them to communicate with his relatives.  And they had lost no time in doing so.  I never saw Giles so terribly upset.  He looked as though he had received a blow.  He went to Brighton at once, and afterwards to London, and employed every means to set our fears at rest, for a horrible suspicion that he had really made away with himself was in all our minds.

’I was far too ill to notice all that went on.  A fever seemed about me, and I could not eat or sleep.  I think I should have done neither, that my poor brain must have given way under the shock of my apprehensions, but for Mr. Cunliffe.

’He was a true friend,—­a good Samaritan.  He bound up my wounds and poured in oil and wine of divinest charity.  He did not believe that Eric was guilty of either dishonesty or self-destruction.  In his own mind he was inclined to believe that he wished us to think him dead.  It was all a mystery; but we must wait and pray; and in time he managed to instil a faint hope into my mind that this might be so.

’Etta was rather kind to me just then.  She looked ill and worried, and seemed taken up with Giles.  It was well that he should have some one to look after his comforts, for there was a breach between us that seemed as though it would never be healed.  I saw that he was irritable and miserable,—­that the thought of Eric robbed him of all peace.  But I could make no effort to console him, for I felt