Frank had invited Roger to spend Christmas at Millbank, but Roger had declined, and had passed the holidays in his usual way at Schodick, where there had come to him a letter from Arthur Grey, who, in referring to the past, exonerated Jessie from all blame, and asked Roger’s forgiveness for the great wrong done to him. Then he thanked him for his kindness to Magdalen, and closed by saying:
“Magdalen has been very anxious for you to come to Beechwood, and I should now extend an invitation for you to do so, were it not that we have decided to leave at once for Europe. We sail in the ‘Persia’ next week, immediately after my daughter’s marriage, which will be a very quiet affair. Hoping to see and know you at some future time, I am
“Yours truly, Arthur Grey.”
This letter had been delayed for some reason, and it did not reach Roger until a week after it was written, and then there came in the same mail a newspaper from New York, directed by Magdalen herself. Around a short paragraph was the faint tracing of her pencil, and Roger read that among the passengers the “Persia” would take out were Mr. Arthur Grey and daughter, Mrs. Penelope Seymour, and Mr. Guy Seymour and lady. Magdalen had underscored the “Mr. Guy Seymour and lady,” and upon the margin had written:
“Good-by, Roger, good-by.”
“When Roger read Mr. Grey’s letter he had felt sure that the daughter to whose marriage reference was made was Magdalen herself, and the newspaper paragraph and pencil-marks confirmed him in this belief.
“Good-by, Roger, good-by.”
His white lips whispered the words, which seemed to run into each other and grow dim and blurred as the great tears gathered in his eyes and obscured his vision.
“Good-by, Roger, good-by.”