The possibility of John Derringham's sending a message to Halcyone was
very slender. The post was out of the question--she probably never got
any letters, and the arrival of one in a man's handwriting would no
doubt be the cause of endless comment in the household. The foolishness
had been not to make a definite appointment with her when they had
parted before dawn. But they had been too overcome with love to think of
anything practical in those last moments, and now the only thing would
be for him to go again to-night to the tree, and hope that she would
meet him there. But the sky was clouding over, and rain looked quite
ready to fall. As a last resource he could send Demetrius--his own valet
he would not have trusted a yard.
The rain kept off for his journey to Bristol, and his business was got
through with rapidity. And if the registrar did connect the name of John
Derringham, barrister-at-law, of the Temple, London, with John
Derringham, the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, he was a
man of discretion and said nothing about it.
It was quite late when Mr.
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