A CONFESSION 349
warn him and enable him to escape. I need not say we
did so because he was your husband and Ciceley’s father.”

Harry then turned the subject by a remark as to the
effects of the storm, then Ciceley asked questions as to their
life abroad, and there was so much to tell and to listen to
that even Mrs. Dormay’s face brightened. Harry willingly
allowed himself to be persuaded to remain for the night,
and to ride over to his place in the morning.

The funeral took place two days later. Charlie went as
sole mourner. ‘‘He was my kinsman,” he said to Harry,
“and though I can pretend no sorrow at his death, my
attendance at the funeral will do something towards stop-
ping talk, and will make it easier for my cousin.”

Vhe next day Mrs. Dormay and Ciceley returned to Rock-
ley, whose tenant had fortunately left a few weeks before.
Charlie and Harry both went over with them and stayed
for three or four days, and they were glad to see that Mrs.
Dormay seemed to be shaking off the weight of her trouble,
and was looking more like her old self. They then rode
to Lancaster, and returned to London by coach. They
crossed to Gottenburg by the first vessel that was sailing,
and Sir Marmaduke was delighted to hear the success of
their mission, and that he was at liberty to return at once
as master of Lynnwood.

“Tuck favoured you somewhat, Charlie, in throwing
that vagabond in your way, but for all else we have to thank
you both for the manner in which you have carried the
affair out and captured your fox. As for John Dormay,
‘tis the best thing that could have happened. I have often
thought it over while you have been away, and have said to
myself that the best settlement of the business would be
that you, Harry, when you obtained proofs, should go
down, confront him publicly, and ‘charge him with his
treachery, force him to draw, and then run him through
the body. Charlie would of course have been the proper