Then came another letter with all the truth about her marriage, which she seemed to think conclusive, and which wound up by saying that she meant to take Lucia away--hide her from me in fact.

My grandfather was very ill then, and I had no time to write to her, but my message just after his death was plain enough, I thought--what did she say to it ?" Mr.Leigh dropped his eyes slowly from his son's face, and put his hand confusedly to his head.
"What was it ?" he said.

"I can't remember." "Only two or three words.

Just that all she could say did not alter the case, or alter me." This was rather a free rendering of the original message, but it was near enough and significant enough for Mr.Leigh to be quite sure he had never heard such words before.

They would have given him just that key to his son's heart which he had longed for.
"You must be mistaken," he answered.