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"I don't understand!" he said I felt that as the tiht speak; for all sakes I wanted to avoidcollision with Ada him So I said:

"I can tell you now, Saht with Mrs Jackand Miss Anita--Miss Drake When I cao away and h they were there I was not to saya word to any one about their being away Please understand, my dearfellow--and I must ask you to take it that this is only a hint which youmust accept and not attempt to follow up--that there are reasons why Ishould act on any request of Miss Drake's, blindfold I told you lastnight that my hands were tied; this was one of the cords To-day I holdht I coulddo nothing I could take no step myself, nor could I help you to takeone; simply for the reason that I do not knohere Miss Drake isstaying She is I know stopping, or was till lately, somewhere on theeastern side of Aberdeen County; but where the place is I have not thefaintest idea I expect to know very shortly; and the moment I knoill try to inform you, unless I am forbidden You will know in tih youhard to understand I auard When you left rew on htened as I spoke

"Well," he said "at least we are one in the I feared you were, and would be, working againsttheyour position than you i in your oay for Miss Drake's good; but I maytell you this I mean to find her if I can, and in my oay I am notfettered anywhere, except by the necessary secrecy Outside of this I amfree to act I shall keep you advised at Cruden"

Before I was dressed I had another visitor This time it was Cathcartith considerable diffidence and all the sha a kindly action in which he , offered me his services I tried to set him at ease by theheartiness of h to say:

"Froatheryou are or may be in trouble about some friend If this should be, andfrom my heart I trust it may not, I hope you will bear in mind that Iam a friend, and unattached I am pretty well alone in the world so faras family is concerned, and there is no one to interfere with me Indeedthere are some ould be happy, for testamentary reasons, to attendmy funeral I hope you will re" Then he went away, easy of carriage and debonair as usual Itwas in such wise that this gallant gentleman made me a proffer of hislife It moved me more than I can tell

I went down to Cruden by the next train, and arranged with thepostraht come directed as I had told Adams

Towards dusk a letter was brought toat once how it had coht byait in had said "no answer" and had riddenaway

With hope and joy and swere justified by the feords it contained:

"Meet me to-morrow at eleven at Pircappies"

I passed the night hat patience I could, and rose early At ten Itook a light boat and rowed byround outside the Skares, ostensibly fishing but keeping watchfor any sign of Marjory; for from this point I could see the road toWhinnyfold and the path by the beach A little before eleven I sao inany appearance of hurry, for Iknew not whether any onerock Marjory arrived just at the same tin of care As yet nothing hadhappened We ht hand shake; but there was a look in hereyes which made my heart leap For the past thirty-six hoursI had not thought of myself,and therefore not of ain in full force In her presence, and in the jubilance of my ownheart, fear in all for sun above us should be blotted out with falling snow With oneof her ns of silence she pointed to the rock that herestretches out into the sea, and whose top is croith long seagrass Together we cli across thenarrow promontory passed over the top of the rock We found a cosy nesthidden behind it Here ere absolutely isolated froht except from beyond the stretchof rocky sea In a deed my satisfaction

"Isn't it a nice place I chose it out yesterday when I was here!" Foran instant I felt as though she had struck me Just to think that shehad been here yesterday, whilst I aiting for her only across thebay, eatingback Sheith swept away every other feeling With a pretty little herself co talk, shebegan:

"I suppose you know a lot about me now?"

"How do you mean?"

"Come now, don't prevaricate I saw Sam Adams in Aberdeen, and of coursehe told you all about me" I interrupted:

"No he didn't" The very tone of htened her With a smileshe said: