Thus that long silence was broken, and a spell was lifted.

But the fire took hold upon the telegram and shook it, so that it moved like a thing alive and in pain.

It twisted, and part of it unrolled, and for a second lay open and smooth of creases, lit up by the flame and as yet untouched; so that two or three words sprang, as it were, out of a yellow glare of fire and were legible.

Then the flame seized upon that smooth part too, and in a moment shrivelled it into black tatters.

But Captain Trench was all this while staring into the fire.
"You return to Dublin, I suppose ?" said Durrance.