"I am going back to London to-night," he replied. "To-night," she said in surprise. He nodded. "But I am staying here for two or three days," she protested. "I intended also staying for two or three days," he smiled, "but my business will not wait." Nevertheless, she persuaded him to stay till the morrow. They were at breakfast when the morning mail was delivered, and Frank noted that she went rapidly through the dozen letters which came to her, and she chose one for first reading. He could not help but see that that bore an English stamp, and his long acquaintance with the curious calligraphy of Jasper Cole left him in no doubt as to who was the correspondent. He saw with what eagerness she read the letter, the little look of disappointment when she turned to an inside sheet and found that it had not been filled, and his mind was made up. He had a post also, which he examined with some evidence of impatience. "Your mail is not so nice as mine," said the girl with a smile. "It is not nice at all," he grumbled; "the one thing I wanted, and, to be very truthful, May, the one inducement--" "To stay over the night," she added, "was--what?" "I have been trying to buy a house on the lake," he said, "and the infernal agent at Lausanne promised to write telling me whether my terms had been agreed to by his client." He looked down at the table and frowned. Saul Arthur Mann had a great and extensive knowledge of human nature. He had remarked the disappointment on Frank's face, having identified also the correspondent whose letter claimed priority of attention. He knew that Frank's anger with the house agent was very likely the expression of his anger in quite another direction. "Can I send the letter on?" suggested the girl. "That won't help me," said Frank, with a little grimace. "I wanted to settle the business this week." "I have it," she said. "I will open the letter and telegraph to you in Paris whether the terms are accepted or not." Frank laughed. "It hardly seems worth that," he said, "but I should take it as awfully kind of you if you would, May." Saul Arthur Mann believed in his mind that Frank did not care tuppence whether the agent accepted the terms or not, but that he had taken this as a Heaven-sent opportunity for veiling his annoyance. "You have had quite a large mail, Miss Nuttall," he said. "I've only opened one, though. It is from Jasper," she said hurriedly. Again both men noticed the faint flush, the strange, unusual light which came to her eyes. "And where does Jasper write from?" asked Frank, steadying his voice. "He writes from England, but he was going on the Continent to Holland the day he wrote," she said. "It is funny to think that he is here." "In Switzerland?" asked Frank in surprise. "Don't be silly," she laughed. "No, I mean on the mainland--I mean there is no sea between us." She went crimson. "It sounds thrilling," said Frank dryly. She flashed round at him.