"'I have brought you a packet,' he said, 'which Mr. Forrester was most anxious I should personally deliver to your hands. There is a letter inside which he said would explain everything. I was also instructed to obtain from you a receipt, which I am to convey to him again.' "So saying, he dived his hand into the pocket of his greatcoat, and brought thence a roll, which he placed with some solemnity upon the table. "'There is the packet,' he said. 'Now if you will be kind enough to give me a note stating that you have received it, I will take my departure. It is most necessary that I should catch the express to London, and if I desire to do so, I have a sharp walk in front of me.' "'You shall have the receipt,' I answered; and, taking a sheet of notepaper from a drawer, I wrote the following letter:-- "'THE GRANGE, BAMPTON ST. MARY, "'_December 14, 18--._ "'DEAR FORRESTER: This evening I have been surprised by a visit from a man named----' "Here I paused and inquired the messenger's name, which I had, for the moment, forgotten. "'Honoré de Silva,' he replied. "'----from a man named Honoré de Silva, who has handed me a packet for which he desires this letter shall be a receipt. I have endeavoured to elicit your address from him, but on this point he is adamant. Is it kind to an old friend to let him hear from you, but at the same time to refuse to permit him to communicate with you? Why all this mystery? If you are in trouble, who would so gladly share it with you as your old friend? If you need help, who would so willingly give it? Are the years during which we have known each other to count for nothing? Trust me, and I think you are aware that I will not abuse your confidence. "Your affectionate friend, "'WILLIAM BETFORD.' "Having blotted it, I placed the letter in an envelope, directed it to Cyril Forrester, Esq., and handed it to De Silva, who placed it carefully in an inner pocket and rose to take leave of me. "'Will nothing induce you to reveal your employer's present place of residence?' I said. 'I assure you I am most anxious to prove his friend.' "'I can easily believe that,' he answered. 'He has often spoken of you in terms of the warmest affection. If you could hear him, I am sure you would have no doubt on that score.' "I was much affected, as you may imagine, on hearing this, and his assertion emboldened me to risk yet another question. "'Upon one point, at least, you can set my mind at rest,' I said. 'Is Mr. Forrester happy?' "'He is a man who has done with happiness such as you mean, and will never know it again,' he answered solemnly. "'My poor old friend,' I said, half to myself and half to him. And then added, 'Is there no way in which I can help him?' "'None,' De Silva replied. 'But I can tell you no more, so I beg you will not ask me.'