"I ought, perhaps, to have taken you more into my confidence.

By the by," he added, "when--er--about when did you receive my last letter ?" "Your last letter ?" Mr.Mangan repeated.

"We have not had the privilege of hearing from you, Sir Everard, for over four years.

The only intimation we had that our payments had reached you was the exceedingly prompt debit of the South African bank." "I have certainly been to blame," this unexpected visitor confessed.

"On the other hand, I have been very much absorbed.