THE LETTER 271 



read it. "I knew he'd do something. Oh, what 

 arehef!" 



At breakfast, with the open telegram on the 

 table, they discussed it. 



" It was handed in at Regent Street last night 

 at eight o'clock," said JVIiss Grimshaw. " What, 

 I wonder, can he have done to him, or how can 

 he have got round him? " 



" I don't know what he's done to him," said 

 her companion, " but I know one thing, he'll 

 never get round him, and if he thinks he's talked 

 him over he'll find he's made a mistake." 



" Well," said the girl, " whatever has happened 

 has happened. We have done our best, and if 

 we are beaten it won't be our faults. And there 

 is some satisfaction in that." 



The day passed, bringing no news from Mr 

 Dashwood. The next day also passed without 

 news; but by the early post of the third day 

 arrived a letter. 



The envelope was shabby and dirty, and the 

 address was written in pencil. i\Ir French tore 

 the thing open, and read : 



"Dear French, — I've bottled him; I'm 

 scribbhng this with pencil as I have got no ink, 

 and I don't know how I will post it. Anyhow, 

 I'm writing it on the chance of finding some means 

 of doing so. I got Giveen up to my rooms in 

 town, and when I had him there I didn't in the 

 least know what to do with him. The beast hates 



