"I've been crying over this letter; that's what all this blotting means.
"Now I can never see you again; never touch your hand, never look into those brown eyes again—Garry! Garry!—never while life lasts.
"I ask forgiveness for all the harm my love has done to you, for all the pain it has caused you, for the unhappiness that, please God, will not endure with you too long.
"I have tried to pray that the pain will not last too long for you; I will try to pray that you may love another woman and forget all this unhappiness.
"Think of me as one who died, loving you. I cling to this paper as though it were your hand. But—
"Dearest—dearest—Good-by.
"SHIELA CARDROSS."
When Portlaw came in from his culinary conference he found Hamil scattering the black ashes of a letter among the cinders.
"Well, we're going to try an old English receipt on those trout," he began cheerfully—and stopped short at sight of Hamil's face.
"What's the matter?" he asked bluntly.