“That!” he exclaimed. “You found that and showed it to Anne! And it was not long after that she came to me---- Ah, now I understand, now I understand! That was how she knew! She tried so hard, dear little soul, she tried so hard to make me happy! I never quite saw why she acted as she did till now. Little Anne, little Anne, you have played an important part in my life. You have endowed me and impoverished me. I don’t see why it all had to be, but I’ve no doubt that I shall some day. Now tell me something else: Do you know whether Kit Carrington knows that Anne is with your sister, and that she will never marry me? For she never will, little Anne!” “Oh, I know that!” cried little Anne. “I don’t know whether Kit does or not. Want me to tell him?” Richard almost smiled; a gleam of amusement went over his unhappy face. “Always ready to turn another beetle!” he said. “On the whole, yes, little Anne. Tell him all that you know. It will be told in a better way than if it were clearer. Anne will complete the story. And tell Kit that I asked you to tell him. Tell him that I am anxious to hear that Anne has stopped crying and is smiling at him. Tell him just that. And that I send him my blessing--will you, dear?” “Yes,” said little Anne. “I’ll tell him to-day. He’s been to our house ’bout twice each day since Anne’s been at Joan’s. Anne won’t let him come there, nor she won’t send him one word, not even on the telephone by me. Joan told her she’d shake her, maybe, ’cause what was the use of being mis’ble every way? I’ll tell Kit, Mr. Latham. And, Mr. Latham, there’s a quite tall, thin man coming in here. He’s got a bag. Maybe he’s a Mormon mish’nary; they do come like that. This one doesn’t look like one, though; he’s much nicer. He’s got a brown moustache, and a flat, boxy thing, and a bag.” “Wilberforce!” cried Richard, starting up so violently that he nearly upset little Anne. That did not halt him. Leaving little Anne to take care of her equilibrium, he rushed into the hall, seized the newcomer by the lapel of his coat and cried, joyously: “Ted, dear old man, how did you make it so soon?” “Message came just in time for me to make the last train that connected to get me here to-day,” said Ted. “You look like the mischief, Dick! What has happened that you sent for me in such urgent haste?” “I’ll tell you the whole story later. It is Anne and I; that’s enough for now. We’ve given it all up, Ted, fortunately,” said Richard. “Fortunately? Well, you don’t look it! What’s Anne been doing? I know she never went back on anything in her life. So what have you been doing? Though that’s as fool a question as the other,” said Edwin Wilberforce, frowning.