CHAPTER XVIII.

THE SECRETS OF THE PENNY POST.

"_Carmela Cotoner to Ronald Monteith_.

"My Dear Mr. Monteith,--I write to let you know that in the interview I had with you yesterday, you misunderstood some of my statements. My sister, Mrs. Verschoyle, did not come on board with me to say good-bye, when the 'Neptune' sailed, but did so before I left home. _You will understand why I write this letter._"

"Yours truly, Carmela Cotoner."

* * * * *

"Poor soul," said Ronald, handing the letter to Foster; "I can understand--she knows her sister is guilty, and would shield her."

"Yes, I can see that," said Foster, glancing rapidly over the letter; "but how does she know her sister is guilty?"

"I don't know," said Ronald, blankly.

"Hum," answered Gerald, looking keenly at him; "let us look into this. In the first place, did you think she thought her sister guilty when you saw her?"

"No," eagerly; "I'm sure she did not."

"Then she must have seen some one in the meantime who told her the truth," returned Foster; "now, whom did you see in the meantime?"

"No one, except Vassalla," returned the Australian, innocently.

"Exactly," said the barrister, "you saw Vassalla, and told him you knew that he and Mrs. Verschoyle had lied regarding her movements on the night in question?"

"Well?"

"Well!" echoed Foster, rather annoyed, "can't you see? Vassalla knew Mrs. Verschoyle was on board, and also that Ventin was her husband, and told Carmela Cotoner all about it; so, to save her sister, she has recanted, and written a lie--a white lie, poor soul! for which she will be forgiven in heaven."

"Then what do you think of the whole affair?" said Ronald, eagerly.

"I think that Vassalla knows more about this affair than we give him credit," replied Foster.

"Shall I answer her letter?" said Monteith, after a pause.

"If you like," returned the other, shrugging his shoulders.

"Then I will."

* * * * *

"_Ronald Monteith to Carmela Cotoner_.

"My Dear Miss Cotoner,--I have received your letter. Believe me, I admire and respect your silence.

"Yours truly,

"Ronald Monteith."

* * * * *

"And what about your marriage?" asked Foster. "I'll wait till I see how this thing is cleared up," said Ronald, "and then----"

"Well?"

"Whether her sister is guilty or not, I'll marry her."

"That's a mistake."

"What! A mistake to marry a noble woman like that?" said Ronald. "No, Foster, she has been tried in the furnace, and has, to my eyes, come out pure as gold."

"Amen to that sweet prayer," quoted Foster, in his usual, cynical voice.

* * * * *

"_Carmela Cotoner to Mrs. Verschoyle_.

"I cannot address you as sister till I know the truth of this terrible story. Your husband was on board the 'Neptune,' and you saw him there, though you denied doing so. The question I now ask you is, whether this awful thing is true? Did you have anything to do with your husband's death? I know that you are cruel and proud, but I do not believe you to be so base as Vassalla says. Before we can meet again, I want to be assured that your hands are free from your husband's blood.

"Your sister, Carmela."

* * * * *

"How did she find out?" asks Mrs. Verschoyle of herself; "no one could have known that my husband was on board. Carmela certainly knew I went to see her off, but how did she discover that Lionel Ventin was my husband? There must be some traitor in the camp, and that traitor is Matteo Vassalla. I will go to him to-morrow and find out the truth. If it is as I suspect, he'll wish he had held his tongue!"

* * * * *

"_Matteo Vassalla to Carmela Cotoner_.

"So you are down at Marlow? I hope you are enjoying the country, and getting back the roses to your cheeks, for I want my bride to look her best when married to me. London is very dull, and the only excitement is the arrival of your sister, from whom I have a note, saying she will call on me to-morrow. I will report the result of our interview in some future letter, though I hope to deliver it by word of mouth, as I am coming down to Marlow shortly, and will call on you at Sir Mark Trevor's place. Mr. Monteith is still in town, and still on his wild-goose chase, from which I'm afraid he'll derive very little gratification. I am the only person who can prove, absolutely, that your sister saw her husband on board, and had anything to do with his death, and I will keep my own counsel on condition that I receive my reward--your hand. Adieu, my dear cousin, till we meet again.

"Yours for ever, MATTEO VASSALLA."

* * * * *

"So I have to pay the penalty of my sister's crime," said Carmela to herself on reading this letter. "In order to save her, I have to sacrifice myself! Oh, it is cruel, cruel! and yet what can I do? If she is innocent, I am free to marry the man I love; but if she is guilty, God help me! I can do nothing but sacrifice myself to save her!"

* * * * *

"_Ronald Monteith to Carmela Cotoner_.

"Is it true? I ask you, is it true, this rumour which I hear, that you are engaged to your cousin, Vassalla? Oh, Carmela, why have you trifled with me in this way? You must have seen how I loved you, how I worshipped the very ground you trod on; and now you coldly throw me on one side, and accept the hand of a man whom you do not and cannot care about. Think of how you are ruining two lives--yours and mine--before you take this fatal step; once done, it cannot be recalled. I await your answer, and hope you may be able to deny this cruel lie.

Ronald."

* * * * *

"Poor Ronald," mused Carmela, "I am cruel but only to be kind. He can never--marry into a family like ours, and the greatest kindness I can do him is to refuse him. God knows, I love him well enough, but he could never trust me, once he knows the secret of Leopold Verschoyle's death, and that he does know it I am convinced. He may blame me now, but he will bless me in the future; so I had better write and tell him that it is true, though my heart may break while I pen the words."

* * * * *

"_Carmela Cotoner to Ronald Monteith_.

"It is true! I am the fool of fortune, and this match is not of my own making. Forget that you have ever seen me, and your life's happiness will be the constant prayer of

"Carmela."

"My life's happiness!" said Ronald, with a sob. "God! She breaks my heart, ruins my life, and talks about praying for my happiness--so like a woman! so like a woman!"