"All this may not be so," he said.

"It may be but a dream of our over-peaceful night." Jacqueline rose, motioned him with a smile to keep his seat, and, moving to an escritoire standing near the door, wrote a line upon a sheet of paper, then rang the bell and when Joab appeared, put the paper into his hand.

"Give this to your master," she said, and came back to Cary beside the fire.

She smiled, but he saw with concern that she was very pale, and that the amethysts were trembling at her throat.

"I should not have read you this letter," he exclaimed.