I dare say I shall have to see a lot more letters than these before you are quite clear!' Her tone was too quiet.

Knowing already the silent antagonism between them he began to suspect her; knowing also that her own letter was not amongst them, he used his wits and handed them over without a word.

She, too, suspected him.

After his tacit refusal to give her the letter, she almost took it for granted that it was not amongst them.

She gave no evidence of her feeling, however, but opened and read the letters in due sequence; all save two, which, being in a female hand, she gave back without a word.