Is that the way it strikes you ?" [Illustration: WHOEVER WROTE THAT LETTER WAS TROUBLED ABOUT SYLVIA] "That seems clear enough," he replied lamely.

He made a pretense of rereading the letter, but only detached phrases penetrated to his consciousness.

His imagination was in rebellion against the curbing to which he strove to subject it.

When he had borne his answer back to Fitch's office and been discharged with the generous payment of one hundred dollars for his services as messenger, just what had been the further history of the transaction?
He had so far controlled his agitation that he was able to continue discussing the letter formally with the kind old woman who had placed the clue in his hands.

He was little experienced in the difficult art of conversing with half a mind, and a direct question from Mrs.Owen roused him to the necessity of heeding what she was saying.