"When did you see her last?"
"Yesterday, and I thought I had settled everything at last. She wouldn't be called in church, so I arranged that I was to go down to Derby Haven this morning, as soon as your boat sailed, and we were to come up to the Registrar's to sign for a Bishop's license. And now, by the first post .... this."
With a trembling hand Gell took out of his pocket the letter which Bessie had written the night before and handed it to Stowell.
With a momentary uneasiness Stowell read the letter.
"Reason? What is it likely to be, think you?"
"I don't know. I can't say. It's a mystery. I've racked my brains and can only think of one thing now."
"And what's that?"
"That she finds out at last that she doesn't care enough for me to marry me."
"Nonsense, old fellow."
"What else can it be? There can be nothing else, can there?"