"It has put new life into me," Val resumed, pointing to the letter. "Now that he has promised to keep the secret, there's little to fear; and I know that he will keep his word. I must bear the burden as I best can, and keep a smiling face to the world."
"Did you read the postscript?" asked Mr. Carr; a feeling coming over him that Val had not read it.
"The postscript?"
"There's a line or two over the leaf."
Lord Hartledon glanced at it, and found it ran thus:
"You must be aware that another person knows of this besides myself. He who was a witness at the time, and from whom I heard the particulars. Of course for him I cannot answer, and I think he is in England. I allude to G.G. Lord H. will know."
"Lord H." apparently did know. He gazed down at the words with a knitted brow, in which some surprise was mingled.
"I declare that I understood him that night to say the fellow had died. Did not you?"
"I did," acquiesced Mr. Carr. "I certainly assumed it as a fact, until this letter came to-day. Gordon was the name, I think?"
"George Gordon."