Cure 'un, that's what I say--cure 'un: this bein', o' cou'se, atween you an' me.
An' look 'ee here," he continued, with a slow nod; "s'posin' the party lets on as he's a-falled in love wi' another party, I reckon you won't be the party to hinder et.

Mind, I bain't sayin' you cou'd, but you won't try, will 'ee?
That's atween you an' me, o' cou'se." The man winked solemnly, and turned down the path.

Before she recovered of her astonishment he had paused again at the gate, and was looking back.
"That's understood," he nodded; "atween you an' me an' the gate-post, o' cou'se." With that he had disappeared.
Mrs.Goodwyn-Sandys, if bewildered at this, was yet more astonished at the contents of the letter.
"Fogo ?" she repeated, with a glance at the signature--"Fogo?
Won't that be the name of the woman-hater up at Kit's House, me dear ?" "Certainly," answered the Honourable Frederic.
"Then I'll trouble yez to listen to this." She read as follows:-- "My Dear Mrs.Goodwyn-Sandys, When last you left me I prayed that we might never meet again.
But time is stronger than I fancied, and here I am writing to you.

Fate must have been in her most ironical mood to bring us so near in this corner of the world.

I thought you were in another continent; but if you will let me accept the chance which brings us together, and call upon you as an old friend, I shall really be grateful: for there will be much to talk about, even if we avoid, as I promise to do, all that is painful; and I am very lonely.