theytalkonlyofthingsthatinterestallchildren——pets，toys，andtheirgames。ThisisonlyANYchild’slettertoANYfather。I
　　couldn’treallysayitWASBobby’s。Astothephotograph，theyhaveanoddwayinSouthAmericaofsellingphotographsofanybody，principallyofprettywomen，bythepacket，toanyonewhowantsthem。Sothatitdoesnotfollowthattheownerofthisphotographhadanypersonalinterestinit。Now，astoyourmysteriouspatronhimself，canyoudescribehim？“ShelookedatRandolphwithacertainfelineintensity。
　　Hebecameembarrassed。“YouknowIonlysawhimonce，underastreetlamp“——hebegan。
　　“AndIhaveonlyseenCaptainDornton——ifitwerehe——twiceinthreeyears，“shesaid。“Butgoon。“
　　AgainRandolphwasunpleasantlyimpressedwithhercold，drylypracticalmanner。Hehadneverseenhisbenefactorbutonce，buthecouldnotspeakofhiminthatway。
　　“Ithink，“hewentonhesitatingly，“thathehaddark，pleasanteyes，athickbeard，andthelookofasailor。“
　　“Andtherewerenootherpapersintheportmanteau？“shesaid，withthesameintenselook。
　　“None。“
　　“Thesearemerecoincidences，“saidMissAvondale，afterapause，“and，afterall，theyarenotasstrangeasthealternative。ForwewouldhavetobelievethatCaptainDorntonarrivedhere——whereheknewhissonandIwereliving——withoutawordofwarning，cameashoreforthepurposeofgoingtoahotelandthebankalso，andthenunaccountablychangedhismindanddisappeared。“
　　Thethoughtoftherottenwharf，hisownescape，andthedeadbodywereallinRandolph’smind；buthisreasoningwasalreadystaggeredbythegirl’sconclusions，andhefeltthatitmightonlypain，withoutconvincingher。Andwasheconvincedhimself？Shesmiledathisblankfaceandrose。“Thankyouallthesame。AndnowImustgo。“
　　Randolphrosealso。“Wouldyouliketotakethephotographandlettertoshowyourcousin？“
　　“Yes。ButIshouldnotplacemuchrelianceonhismemory。“
　　Nevertheless，shetookupthephotographandletter，andRandolph，puttingtheportmanteaubackinthecloset，lockedit，andstoodreadytoaccompanyher。
　　Ontheirwaytoherhousetheytalkedofotherthings。RandolphlearnedsomethingofherlifeinCallao:thatshewasanorphanlikehimself，andhadbeenbroughtfromtheEasternStateswhenachildtolivewitharichuncleinCallaowhowaschildless；thatheraunthaddiedandherunclehadmarriedagain；thatthesecondwifehadbeenatvariancewithhisfamily，andthatitwasconsequentlysomerelieftoMissAvondaletobeindependentastheguardianofBobby，whosemotherwasasisterofthefirstwife；
　　thatherunclehadobjectedasstronglyasabrother-in-lawcouldtohiswife’ssister’smarriagewithCaptainDorntononaccountofhisrovinglifeandunsettledhabits，andthatconsequentlytherewouldbelittlesympathyforherorforBobbyinhismysteriousdisappearance。Thewindblewandtherainfellupontheseconfidences，yetRandolph，walkingagainunderthatumbrellaoffelicity，partedwithheratherowndoorstepalltoosoon，althoughconsoledwiththepermissiontocomeandseeherwhenthechildreturned。
　　Hewentbacktohisroomaveryhopeful，foolish，buthappyyouth。
　　Asheenteredheseemedtofeelthecharmofherpresenceagaininthehumbleapartmentshehadsanctified。Thefurnitureshehadmovedwithherownlittlehands，thebedonwhichshehadsatforahalfmoment，wasglorifiedtohisyouthfulfancy。Andeventhatmagicportmanteauwhichhadbroughthimallthishappiness，that，too，——buthegaveasuddenstart。Theclosetdoor，whichhehadshutashewentout，wasunlockedandopen，theportmanteau——his“trust“——gone！
　　RandolphTrent’sconsternationatthelossoftheportmanteauwaspartlysuperstitious。For，althoughitwaseasytomakeupthesmallsumtaken，andthepapersweresafeinMissAvondale’spossession，yetthisdisplacementoftheonlylinkbetweenhimandhismissingbenefactor，andthemysteryofitsdisappearance，raisedallhisolddoubtsandsuspicions。Avagueuneasiness，astillmorevaguesenseofsomeremissnessonhisownpart，possessedhim。
　　ThattheportmanteauwastakenfromhisroomduringhisabsencewithMissAvondalethatafternoonwasevident。Thedoorhadbeenopenedbyaskeletonkey，andasthebuildingwasdesertedonSunday，therehadbeennochanceofinterferencewiththethief。
　　Ifmerebootyhadbeenhisobject，thepursewouldhavesatisfiedhimwithouthisburdeninghimselfwithaportmanteauwhichmightbeidentified。Nothingelseintheroomhadbeendisturbed。Thethiefmusthavehadsomecognizanceofitslocation，andhavekeptsomeespionageoverRandolph’smovements——acircumstancewhichaddedtothemysteryandhisdisquiet。Heplacedadescriptionofhislosswiththepoliceauthorities，buttheironlyideaofrecoveringitwasbyleavingthatdescriptionwithpawnbrokersandsecond-handdealers，aproceedingthatRandolphinstinctivelyfeltwasinvain。
　　AsingularbutinstinctivereluctancetoinformMissAvondaleofhislosskepthimfromcallinguponherforthefirstfewdays。
　　Whenhedid，sheseemedconcernedatthenews，althoughfarfromparticipatinginhissuperstitionorhissuspicions。
　　“Youstillhavetheletterandphotograph——whatevertheymaybeworth——foridentification，“shesaiddryly，“althoughBobbycannotrememberabouttheletter。Hethinkshewentoncewithhisfathertoaphotographerandhadapicturetaken，buthecannotrememberseeingitafterward。“Shewasholdingtheminherhand，andRandolphalmostmechanicallytookthemfromherandputtheminhispocket。Hewouldnot，perhaps，havenoticedhisownbrusquenesshadshenotlookedalittlesurprised，and，hethought，annoyed。
　　“Areyouquitesureyouwon’tlosethem？“shesaidgently。
　　“PerhapsIhadbetterkeepthemforyou。“
　　“Ishallsealthemupandputtheminthebanksafe，“hesaidquickly。Hecouldnottellwhetherhissuddenresolutionwasaninstinctortheobstinacythatoftencomestoanawkwardman。
　　“But，“headded，coloring，“Ishallalwaysregretthelossoftheportmanteau，foritwasthemeansofbringingustogether。“
　　“Ithoughtitwastheumbrella，“saidMissAvondaledryly。
　　Shehadoncebeforehaltedhimontheperilousedgeofsentimentbyasimilarcynicism，butthistimeitcuthimdeeply。Forhecouldnotbeblindtothefactthatshetreatedhimlikeamereboy，andindispellingtheillusionsofhisinstinctsandbeliefsseemedasifintentupondispellinghisillusionsofHER；andinherhalf-
　　smilingabstractionhereadonlythewell-bredtolerationofonewhoisbeginningtobebored。Hemadehisexcusesearlyandwenthome。Nevertheless，althoughregrettinghehadnotlefthertheletterandphotograph，hedepositedtheminthebanksafethenextday，andtriedtofeelthathehadvindicatedhischaracterforgrown-upwisdom。
　　Then，inhisconflictingemotions，hepunishedhimself，afterthefashionofyouth，byavoidingthebelovedone’spresenceforseveraldays。Hedidthisinthebeliefthatitwouldenablehimtomakeuphismindwhethertorevealhisrealfeelingstoher，andperhapstherewasthemorealluringhopethathisabsencemightprovokesomemanifestationsofsentimentonherpart。Butshemadenosign。Andthencameareactioninhisfeelings，withaheightenedsenseofloyaltytohisbenefactor。For，freedofanyillusionoryouthfulfancynow，apurelyunselfishgratitudetotheunknownmanfilledhisheart。Inthelapseofhissentimentheclungthemorecloselytothisonehonestromanceofhislife。
　　Oneafternoon，atthecloseofbusiness，hewasalittleastonishedtoreceiveamessagefromMr。Dingwall，thedeputymanager，thathewishedtoseehiminhisprivateoffice。HewasstillmoreastonishedwhenMr。Dingwall，afterofferinghimachair，stoodupwithhishandsunderhiscoattailsbeforethefireplace，and，withahesitancyhalfreserved，halfcourteous，butwhollyEnglish，said，——
　　“I——er——wouldbeglad，Mr。Trent，ifyouwould——er——givemethepleasureofyourcompanyatdinnerto-morrow。“
　　Randolph，stillamazed，stammeredhisacceptance。
　　“Therewillbe——er——ayoungladyinwhomyouwere——er——interestedsometimeago。Er——MissAvondale。“
　　Randolph，feelinghewascoloring，anduncertainwhetherheshouldspeakofhavingmethersince，contentedhimselfwithexpressinghisdelight。
　　“Infact，“continuedMr。Dingwall，clearinghisthroatasifhewerealsoclearinghisconscienceofatremendoussecret，“she——er——
　　mentionedyourname。ThereisSirWilliamDorntoncomingalso。
　　SirWilliamhasrecentlysucceededhiselderbrother，who——er——itseems，wasthegentlemanyouwereinquiringaboutwhenyoufirstcamehere，andwho，itisnowascertained，wasdrownedinthebayafewmonthsago。Infact——er——itisprobablethatyouwerethelastonewhosawhimalive。IthoughtIwouldtellyou，“continuedMr。
　　Dingwall，settlinghischinmorecomfortablyinhischeckedcravat，“incaseSirWilliamshouldspeakofhimtoyou。“
　　Randolphwasstaggered。Theabruptrevelationofhisbenefactor’snameandfate，casuallycoupledwithaninvitationtodinner，shockedandconfoundedhim。PerhapsMr。Dingwallnoticeditandmisunderstoodthecause，forheaddedinparentheticalexplanation:
　　“Yes，themanwhoseportmanteauyoutookchargeofisdead；butyoudidyourduty，Mr。Trent，inthematter，althoughtherecoveryoftheportmanteauwasunessentialtothecase。“
　　“Dead，“repeatedRandolph，scarcelyheedinghim。“Butisittrue？
　　Aretheysure？“