"And why?"
"Because the Secret is written in a letter—"
"Yes; and what of that?"
"And the letter is in danger of being discovered. It is, uncle—it is! Sixteen years it has lain hidden—and now, after all that long time, the dreadful chance of its being dragged to light has come like a judgment. The one person in all the world who ought never to set eyes on that letter is the very person who is most likely to find it!"
"So! so! Are you very certain, Sarah? How do you know it?"
"I know it from her own lips. Chance brought us together—"
"Us? us? What do you mean by us?"
"I mean—uncle, you remember that Captain Treverton was my master when I lived at Porthgenna Tower?"
"I had forgotten his name. But no matter—go on."
"When I left my place, Miss Treverton was a little girl of five years old. She is a married woman now—so beautiful, so clever, such a sweet, youthful, happy face! And she has a child as lovely as herself. Oh, uncle, if you could see her! I would give so much if you could only see her!"