Carr; a feeling coming over him
that Val had not read it.
"The postscript?"
"There's a line or two over the leaf."
Lord Hartledon glanced at it, and found it ran thus:
"You must be aware that another person knows of this besides myself. He
who was a witness at the time, and from whom _I_ heard the particulars.
Of course for him I cannot answer, and I think he is in England. I
allude to G.G. Lord H. will know."
"Lord H." apparently did know. He gazed down at the words with a knitted
brow, in which some surprise was mingled.
"I declare that I understood him that night to say the fellow had died.
Did not you?"
"I did," acquiesced Mr. Carr. "I certainly assumed it as a fact, until
this letter came to-day. Gordon was the name, I think?"
"George Gordon."
"Since reading the letter I have been endeavouring to recollect exactly
what he did say; and the impression on my mind is, that he spoke of
Gordon as being _probably_ dead; not that he knew it for a certainty.
How I could overlook the point so as not to have inquired into it more
fully, I cannot imagine. But, you see, we were not discussing details
that night, or questioning facts: we were trying to disarm him--get him
not to proceed against you; and for myself, I confess I was so utterly
stunned that half my wits had left me."
"What is to be done?"
"We must endeavour to ascertain where Gordon is," replied Mr.
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