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 ‘I was ill over there, you know,’ he said. ‘I am all right now,’

As if, however, to falsify this assertion, his legs seemed to give way, and he suddenly sat down to save himself from falling. It was only a slight attack of faintness, resulting from the tedious day’s journey, and the excitement of arrival.

‘Has any letter come for me lately?’ he asked.

Only one had recently come. Others, which had arrived a few weeks earlier they had sent on to him, not knowing he would start for home so soon.

He hastily opened the letter produced, and was much disturbed to read in Tess’s handwriting the sentiments expressed in her last hurried scrawl to him.

‘It is quite true!’ said Angel, throwing down