And I can see neither the necessity nor the wisdom of our writing any more letters." For a few days no reply came; then he received such a strange, unhappy, and desperate letter, that, astonished, alarmed, and apprehensive, he went straight to his sister, who had run up to town for the day from Silverside, and who had telephoned him to take her somewhere for luncheon.
Nina appeared very gay and happy and youthful in her spring plumage, but she exclaimed impatiently at his tired and careworn pallor; and when a little later they were seated tete-a-tete in the rococo dining-room of a popular French restaurant, she began to urge him to return with her, insisting that a week-end at Silverside was what he needed to avert physical disintegration.
"What is there to keep you in town ?" she demanded, breaking bits from the stick of crisp bread.

"The children have been clamouring for you day and night, and Eileen has been expecting a letter--You promised to write her, Phil--!" "I'm going to write to her," he said impatiently; "wait a moment, Nina--don't speak of anything pleasant or--or intimate just now--because--because I've got to bring up another matter--something not very pleasant to me or to you.

May I begin ?" "What is it, Phil ?" she asked, her quick, curious eyes intent on his troubled face.
"It is about--Alixe." "What about her ?" returned his sister calmly.
"You knew her in school--years ago.

You have always known her--" "Yes." "You--did you ever visit her ?--stay at the Varians' house ?" "Yes." "In--in her own home in Westchester ?" "Yes." There was a silence; his eyes shifted to his plate; remained fixed as he said: "Then you knew her--father ?" "Yes, Phil," she said quietly, "I knew Mr.Varian." "Was there anything--anything unusual--about him--in those days ?" "Have you heard that for the first time ?" asked his sister.
He looked up: "Yes.

What was it, Nina ?" She became busy with her plate for a while; he sat rigid, patient, one hand resting on his claret-glass.