"No, sir--to that poor girl herself. You see, sir, the Durhams were a great family hereabouts for years. But they all died out save one, who went soldiering to India. He was shot in the lungs some months after his marriage at Simla to an English lady, and came home to die. He lingered a year and died at Brighton." "And his wife?" "Oh, she died in Bombay, when starting for England, long before Captain Durham was shot. That poor girl at the Pixy's House was born when her mother died, so Major Rebb, who was a brother officer of Captain Durham, took charge of her." "Has Miss Durham any money?" "I can't tell you that, sir. What I say is only what I have heard from time to time. I believe that she has the old house of the Durhams, and enough money to keep her. Major Rebb is a good, kind gentleman to take such trouble over the poor thing. Many another gentleman would have shut her up in a lunatic asylum." Haskins smiled once more, very significantly. He quite believed that if Rebb could have shut up Mavis as a lunatic he would have done so long ago. But, in the first place, it would be difficult to get two doctors to certify to her insanity, and in the second, if the case became known, the use of the girl's money by Rebb might be questioned. The Major had just made sufficient of the story public to save himself from awkward questions, and Gerald foresaw that to extricate Mavis from her false position was a more difficult task than, he had reckoned upon. However, notwithstanding that things looked thus black, he held to his determination of having an explanation with Major Rebb, and as the evening was pleasant he walked to Denleigh at his leisure. There was more chance of catching the Major at this hour, since it was probable that he would always return to the Devon Maid for dinner. As he was starting, Mrs. Jennings came up to him at the door. "If you see Major Rebb, sir," she said, in a low voice, "you might tell him that Mr. Arnold has come back." "Who is he?" asked Gerald, forgetting what Mavis had said. "A small clever gentleman, with a long beard, who looked after that poor girl for a time. He went away to some foreign port months ago but returned to this neighborhood during the last two or three days. I haven't seen Mr. Arnold myself," ended Mrs. Jennings, "but others have seen him, and I want the Major to know." "Why?" asked Haskins, looking at her keenly. "Mr. Arnold behaved very badly to Major Rebb," explained the landlady, "and went away without giving notice. Major Rebb wants to see him, and ask why he left him in the lurch, as you might say." "I'll tell him," said Haskins, nodding. "Where is this Mr. Arnold now?" "I can't say, sir, save that he is in the neighborhood."