"As soon as you are strong enough," Reine makes answer, trying not to let him see her inward anxiety to be gone. "It is too bad that this old hulk of mine should be the means of detaining you," he grumbles. "What shall you do now?" She lifts her dark, inquiring eyes to the face of Mr. Charteris. He nods, affirmatively. "I will tell you, uncle," she replies. "I shall write to Maud's counsel, and tell him I have found the missing note, and that I shall soon return, bringing it with me. He must obtain a stay of proceedings until my return." "And this was your mission abroad?" Mr. Langton queries, surprised. She smiles and nods, and Mr. Charteris comes in for his share of the old man's scrutiny. "Then _you_ had the note, Vane!" he says. "Yes, sir," he responds, rather shame-facedly. Mr. Langton looks from one to the other of the expressive faces, and comes to a very fair comprehension of the truth. After a moment passed in silent thought, he breaks out with irrepressible enthusiasm: "Reine, you are a trump!" whereat both the young people laugh with contagious merriment. "Where are you staying, Vane?" Mr. Langton queries. "At the Haven of Rest. I wished to change my quarters to the Sea View Hotel, but this imperious little lady here forbids me," he replies. The keen little old eyes turn curiously on the crimsoning face of the girl. "Why should you do that?" he asks, and stammering some incoherent excuse Reine flies from the room. Then Vane rather ruefully explains the reason. To tell the truth he begins to feel ashamed of himself, the more so that Mr. Langton applauds Reine's determination. "I am proud of her," he declared. "I was vexed at first. I thought she meant to follow you and plead her own case. Now I cannot help but glory in her nobility and her reasonable pride. She has the head of a Solomon on her young shoulders. If you were not blind, Vane, you could not fail to see what an adorable girl you have married." "She is different from what I thought, certainly," Vane admits, gravely. "She can hold her own--I am glad of that," Mr. Langton grunts, amicably. "You see you could not have her for the asking. Serves you right. There is hardly any excuse for the way you acted." "It was outrageous, certainly," Vane answers, with admirable penitence, "but I wish she would have made it up and let me come here. The Haven of Rest is a dry place certainly--given up to invalids and poky people." "I hear that Sea View is rather gay," Mr. Langton replies. "Some new people arrived this morning. There is talk of a ball to-night." "A ball! Will Reine go down?" Mr. Charteris inquires. "Scarcely, I think. You see I shall not be able to escort her." "Perhaps she will allow me that honor," Mr. Charteris observes, promptly. "Perhaps so," Mr. Langton responds, with a dry smile.