"The note!" she echoed, hoarsely. "Not Lord Vernon's!"
Nell nodded mutely, her face a study for the Tragic Muse.
"But I thought you destroyed it," said Sue. "You said you were going
to!"
"I know--but I didn't," answered Nell, a faint tinge of pink in her
pallid cheeks. "I--I didn't see the need of destroying it. I supposed
nobody knew, and I--I thought I'd keep it as a--a souvenir, you know. I
had it in my desk. I am sure I locked it before I came down this
evening, but just now I found it open and the note gone."
"Well, and what did you do then?"
"I looked all through the desk--I thought maybe it had slipped out of
sight somehow--but it hadn't--it wasn't there. Then I called the maid,
Julie, and told her something had been stolen. She swore no one had
entered the room since I left it--that no one could have entered it. Of
course, I couldn't tell her about the note, so I sent her away and came
to you. I--I feel like a traitor. I don't know what to do!"
Susie went to her and put her arms about her and drew her close.
"We can't do anything to-night, dear," she said; "that's certain.
To-morrow you must tell Lord Vernon."
She felt Nell quiver at the words and drew her closer still, with
intimate understanding.
"I don't believe he will care so much," she went on, comfortingly.
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