Then he opened the letter. It was not very long, and they saw a slip of pink paper fall from it. Mrs. Brace picked it up and saw that it was a check for fifty pounds.
Meanwhile Mark read on slowly and laboriously; then he looked around him with a bewildered face, and read it again.
"What is it, Mark?" asked his wife, anxiously.
"Stop!" said Mark, waving his hand. "Steady. I have had many a hard puzzle in my life, but this is the hardest—I cannot understand it. Either the man who wrote it is mad, or I am—I cannot tell which. Patty, read that letter aloud; let me see if it sounds as it reads."
Mrs. Brace took the letter obediently from her husband's hands. No one saw the torture of suspense in Doris' face. Mrs. Brace read aloud:
"The Earl of Linleigh presents his compliments to Mr. Mark Brace, and begs that he will grant him a favor. The earl desires most particularly to see Mr. Brace at once, on very important business, and as the earl cannot go to Brackenside, he will be glad if Mr. Brace will start without delay for Linleigh Court. It is also absolutely necessary that Mr. Brace should bring with him his wife and the young lady known as Doris. The earl incloses a check for fifty pounds to cover traveling expenses, and he earnestly entreats Mr. Brace not to delay one hour in coming."
"Send for Earle," gasped Mark, "before there is another word said about it—send for Earle."
Then he was struck by the peculiar expression of his wife's face. She bent down and whispered to him.
"That is it!" he said, with sudden conviction; "that is it! Heaven bless me! I never thought of it; send for Earle."
"Is it anything of any harm to you, father?" asked Mattie, anxiously.