bundle was discoloured by age; the wax of the seals was cracked
all over the surface.

"No inscription, no writing," said Mr. Pawle. "Now, I wonder
what's in here?"

"Shall I fetch Miss Wickham?" suggested Viner. Mr. Pawle hesitated.

"No!" he said at last. "I think not. Let us first find out what this
packet contains. I'll take the responsibility."

He cut the ribbons beneath the seals, and presently revealed a number of
letters, old and yellow, in a woman's handwriting. And after a hasty
glance at one or two of the uppermost, he turned to Viner with an
exclamation that signified much.

"Viner!" he said, "here is indeed a find! These are letters written by
the Countess of Ellingham to her son, Lord Marketstoke, when he was a
schoolboy at Eton!"




CHAPTER XIV

THE ELLINGHAM MOTTO


Viner looked over Mr. Pawle's shoulder at the letters--there were numbers
of them, all neatly folded and arranged; a faint scent of dried flowers