Then the Baronet would know more of Jack's two months of nursing at the Dutch farm. He thought he could understand about the girl; and he wouldn't ask any questions. But why had Jack thought Madeline was engaged to Sir Doyley Chauncey? _He_ was engaged to another girl? Yes, he was; but that was just it! It _was_ another girl, of the same name--another Madeline. Master Jack coloured and was rather reserved. Then he spoke: "I'll tell you if you like. I told the General." Who nodded. "But you mustn't blame poor Chris. Remember she was brought up a Boer, though she had some English education. It was a newspaper notice--Court and Fashionable game--'A marriage is arranged between Sir Doyley Chauncey of Limp Court, Gloucestershire, and Miss Madeline...' and there the paper was carefully cut away between the lines with scissors--one can always tell a scissor cut. I was sure poor Chris had done it, for her own reasons. I had told her all about Mad. There was no humbugging at all." "But you silly boy," said the General, "don't you see what I told you is true? If she had seen the name Upwell, on the next line, she _wouldn't_ have cut it. Of course, she wouldn't leave the name Farrant--it's Lina Farrant, George; old Farrant's daughter at Kneversley--man thinks Bacon wrote Shakespeare----" "Of course not! I see that all now. But one isn't so cool as one might be sometimes. I got quite upside down with never hearing, and, of course, I couldn't write myself. I was quite dependent on poor Chris. But I was going to tell why I wanted to keep it dark that I was alive. You see, if Mad _had_ got engaged--to _anyone_--well, I don't exactly see how to tell it...." He hesitated a good deal. "Well, then..." "Well, then what?" "Do you know, I think I would almost soonest not try to talk about it. But there was nothing _wrong_, you know, anywhere." "Oh no! Nothing wrong. We quite understand." "Only when a girl has nursed you like that--even if..." "Even if you don't love her--is that it?" Jack was relieved. "Yes--that's about it! All the same, if Madeline _had_ been engaged, I _might_ have gone back and married her--to do the poor girl a good turn." "In spite of her squelching your letters?" said Sir Stopleigh. "Why, ye-es! Look at why she did it!" "There, they are coming down," said the General. "Come along, George! We aren't wanted here. Good-night, Jack!"