“Anglesea came in to make his usual morning call.
“After our greetings were over, and we had sat down, I said to him:
“‘It is now more than a week since I wrote to Saviola. I have now no longer the faintest hope of receiving an answer to my letter. I shall not wait here longer. I shall leave Geneva to-morrow.’
“‘I never supposed for a moment that you would ever hear from him again. I knew, in fact, that it was impossible for you to do so; but I wished you to prove the question to yourself,’ he gravely replied.
“‘You knew it! I thought that you inferred it!’ I exclaimed.
“‘My inference amounted to moral conviction; moral conviction to positive knowledge.’
“I did not answer him. I scarcely understood him.
“‘What do you propose to do, Elfrida?’ he inquired, gravely and tenderly taking my hand, and then adding: ‘Whatever it may be, you see me here ready to stand by you, to counsel and assist you to the utmost of my ability.’
“‘Oh! I thank you, Angus!—I thank you with all my heart and soul! You are indeed a friend and brother raised up to me in the time of need!’
“‘I see—I hope I see clearly—that you are wasting no vain regrets on the man who is unworthy of your thoughts,’ he said, with a strange look that puzzled me, coming from him. I cannot define the look; I had never seen such a one on his face before, and it troubled me; I answered him: