The dictation of it came in starts. Atone moment it seemed as if life's ending shook the curtains on our stage and were about to lift. An old friend in the reader of the letter would need no excuse for its jerky brevity. It said that his pet girl, Miss Kirby, was married to the Earl of Fleetwood in the first week of last month, and was now to be found at a shop No. 45 Longways, Whitechapel; that the writer was ill, unable to stir; that he would be in London within eight-and-forty hours at furthest. He begged Lady Arpington to send down to the place and have the young countess fetched to her, and keep her until he came. Admiral Baldwin sat up to sign the letter. 'Yes, and write "miracles happen when the devil's abroad"--done it !' he said, sinking back. 'Now seal, you'll find wax--the ring at my watch- chain.' He sighed, as it were the sound of his very last; he lay like a sleeper twitched by a dream. There had been a scene with Livia. The dictating of the letter took his remainder of strength out of him. Gower called in the nurse, and went downstairs. He wanted the address of Lady Arpington's town house. 'You have a letter for her?' said Livia, and held her hand for it in a way not to be withstood. 'There's no superscription,' he remarked. 'I will see to that, Mr. Woodseer.' 'I fancy I am bound, Lady Fleetwood.' 'By no means.' She touched his arm. 'You are Lord Fleetwood's friend.' A slight convulsion of the frame struck the admiral's shirt-collar at his ears; it virtually prostrated him under foot of a lady so benign in overlooking the spectacle he presented. Still, he considered; he had wits alive enough, just to perceive a duty. 'The letter was entrusted to me, Lady Fleetwood.' 'You are afraid to entrust it to the post?' 'I was thinking of delivering it myself in town.' 'You will entrust it to me.' 'Anything on earth of my own.' 'The treasure would be valued. This you confide to my care.' 'It is important.' 'No.' 'Indeed it is.' 'Say that it is, then. It is quite safe with me. It may be important that it should not be delivered. Are you not Lord Fleetwood's friend? Lady Arpington is not so very, very prominent in the list with you and me. Besides, I don't think she has come to town yet. She generally sees out the end of the hunting season. Leave the letter to me: it shall go. You, with your keen observation missing nothing, have seen that my uncle has not his whole judgement at present. There are two sides to a case. Lord Fleetwood's friend will know that it would be unfair to offer him up to his enemies while he is absent. Things going favourably here, I drive back to town to-morrow, and I hope you will accept a seat in my carriage.' He delivered his courtliest; he was riding on cloud.