"Yes, miss, an' if I'd known what trouble it would bring, I'd never have carried the first note back and forth," says Nellie, with vain lamentation. "It's too late for regrets now," Maud answers her impatiently. "I want that note, Nellie. It is in the pocket of the blue dress I wore yesterday. Get it for me." Barely a minute--and a cry of dismay from Nellie's lips. "Oh, Miss Maud, 'tisn't there." Maud's face grows suddenly white and scared. "Look again," she says, with a gasp. "'Tisn't there," the maid reiterates, after a second flurried search. "Then it's somewhere else," confidently. "I know it is in this room. Look until you find it, Nellie." Then she turns to Reine. "Can you guess why I came back last night?" "You told us the reason when you came, didn't you?" Reine says, blankly. "Not exactly. I will tell you now while Nellie is searching for the note. Of course you knew when I went away I didn't expect to lose my uncle's fortune?" "I thought you did. Hadn't he said----" begins simple Reine. "That I should marry Charteris, or lose the money--yes, I know, but I give you my word I never believed it. I honestly thought I could marry Mr. Clyde and return here. I thought it would be an easy matter to wheedle my doting uncle into taking us both back. I never dreamed that you would throw yourself into the breach and help them to their revenge against me." "I never thought of such a thing myself, until--until Vane _asked_ me!" Reine murmurs, blushingly. "Do you know why he asked you?" sneers the beautiful girl before her. "To spite you for having jilted him so publicly, Maud, and, perhaps, because he liked me a little after all," she says, a little wistfully. "I gave you credit for just a little more sense, Reine," Maud answers, bitterly. "Vane Charteris disliked you exceedingly. He thought you a vixen, neither more nor less. He made you his wife because Mr. Langton literally forced him to it." "It is not true. Why do you say such things? You are cruel, Maud," the bride cries out, starting indignantly to her feet. "It is the truth. Nellie, have you found the note yet?" "No, miss, nor I don't think I can. Was it so very important?" returns the girl. "Important! My very life hangs on its production," Maud says, wildly. "You have looked carelessly. I could swear that it is in this room. It _must_ be found." "I'll look again. Perhaps I've overlooked it, being in a hurry," the maid returns, patiently, and Maud turns again to her cousin. "Nellie has always been very faithful to me," she says. "She was in my confidence. She knew the trysting-place in the woods where I was to meet Mr. Clyde. As soon as she learned that it was likely you would marry Vane Charteris and cheat me out of Uncle Langton's fortune, she hastened after me, and urged me to return and prevent such a catastrophe. I decided at once to return. I had no notion of doing the love-in-a-cottage business with my poor, but handsome lover."