The yellow book: an illustrated quarterly (2.1894)

358 The^Coxon Fund

was that it appeared to me I ought to teil you frankly that
decidedly I can't undertake to produce that effect. In fact I
don't want to ! "

" It's very good of you, damn you !" my visitor laughed, red
and really grave. Then he said : " You would like to see that
fellow publicly glorified—perched on the pedestal of a great com-
plimentary fortune ?"

"Taking one form of public recognition with another, it seems
to me on the whole I could bear it. When I see the compli-
ments that are paid right and left, I ask myself why this one
shouldn't take its course. This therefore is what you're entitled
to have looked to me to mention to you. I have some evidence
that perhaps would be really dissuasive, but I propose to invite
Miss Anvoy to remain in ignorance of it."

"And to invite me to do the same ? "

" Oh, you don't require it—you've evidence enough. I speak
of a sealed letter which I've been requested to deliver to her."
" And you don't mean to ? "

" There's only one consideration that would make me."

Gravener's clear, handsome eyes plunged into mine a minute ;
but evidently without fishing up a clue to this motive—a failure
by which I was almost wounded. " What does the letter con-
tain ? "

"It's sealed, as I teil you, and I don't know what it contains."
" Why is it sent through you ? "

" Rather than you ? " I hesitated a moment. " The only ex-
planation I can think of is that the person sending it may have
imagined your relations with Miss Anvoy to be at an end—may
have been told they were by Mrs. Saltram."

" My relations with Miss Anvoy are not at an end," poor
Gravener stammered.

Again