It is no use pretending. Fie, Mrs. Anne, why can't you
tell me?"
"I was not to tell any one but Julius."
"Well, I'm Julius. Besides, wasn't I at the very bottom of the
tracing him out? Haven't I the best right to know whether it is bad
or good?"
"Not bad, I am sure," said Julius, quickly and anxiously.
"Oh, no, not bad," answered Anne. "He has seen him--had him on
board for a night."
"Where?"
"Off Durban. But this whole sheet about it is marked 'Private--only
for Julius,' so I could say nothing about it before your mother. I
have hardly glanced at it myself as yet, but I think he says Mr.
Douglas made him promise not to tell her or Joanna Bowater."
"Not tell Jenny!" cried Rosamond. "And you said it was not bad. He
must have gone and married!"
"I do not think that is it," said Anne; "but you shall hear. Miles
says:--'I have at last seen our poor Cousin Archie. I told you I
was following up your brother Sandie's hint about the agents for the
hunters; and at last I fell in with a merchant, who, on my inquiry,
showed me an invoice that I could have sworn to as in Archie's hand,
and described his white hair.
Pages:
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413