THE RETURN OF THE COLONEL Next morning Morris and Stella met at breakfast as usual, but as though by mutual consent neither of them alluded to the events of the previous evening.

Thus the name of Mr.Layard was "taboo," nor were any more questions asked, or statements volunteered as to that journey, the toils of which Morris had suddenly discovered he was after all able to avoid.
This morning, as it chanced, no experiments were carried on, principally because it was necessary for Stella to spend the day in the village doing various things on behalf of her father, and lunching with the wife of Dr.Charters, who was one of the churchwardens.
By the second post, which arrived about three o'clock, Morris received two letters, one from his father and one from Mary.

There was something about the aspect of these letters that held his eye.

That from his father was addressed with unusual neatness, the bold letters being written with all the care of a candidate in a calligraphic competition.
The stamps also were affixed very evenly, and the envelope was beautifully sealed with the full Monk coat done in black wax.

These, as experience told him, were signs that his father had something important to communicate, since otherwise everything connected with his letters was much more casual.