"I will keep this letter, Mr. Morris."
"I do not want it," said Reg. "Pray please yourself."
"I must apologise for my rudeness," she said, simply. "But you must allow I should not be the woman I am if under the original circumstances I had not defended the absent. Now all is changed; you have convinced me of his duplicity, and gentlemen"—here she held out one hand appealingly, and tears welled in her eyes—"an Australian girl thanks you with her whole heart for saving what is her most precious possession. By your help I have been able to free myself from a spell that bound me hand and foot. You have opened my eyes, and believe me, you will not find me ungrateful. Now, one more favour; will you kindly send for my father at once."
"We will wire at once," said Hal, leaving the room with his friend.
They despatched the message, and started for a stroll in the open air.
"Reg," said Hal, "you are improving. By what lucky chance did you get hold of that letter?"
"I am afraid it was hardly justifiable, but things were desperate," he said. "You see, when you and the girl went upstairs, I felt that your impetuous nature might have let you overlook the fact that we had no proofs against Wyck, so I determined to lay hands on some of his letters, and use them against him. By means of a little steaming I opened three; two were invitations, the third, which you have heard read, answered my requirements."
"Then you knew its contents all the time?"
"Of course, or I should not have presented it."
"Well, it has done our business for us," said Hal, satisfied.