I'll do the best I can; and, at any rate, I'll let you know the truth." There had been a question during the day as to whether Stanbury should let his sister know by letter that he was expected; but it had been decided that he should appear at Nuncombe without any previous notification of his arrival.

Trevelyan had thought that this was very necessary, and when Stanbury had urged that such a measure seemed to imply suspicion, he had declared that in no other way could the truth be obtained.

He, Trevelyan, simply wanted to know the facts as they were occurring.

It was a fact that Colonel Osborne was down in the neighbourhood of Nuncombe Putney.

That, at least, had been ascertained.