Out of her sphere - University Library

196 OUT OF HER SPHERE.
He then sat down and wrote to the
Palace at Drowsehead. Audley had en-
treated him to do so.
frankly ;
^' I can't," he said,
"I have n't courage to put pen to
paper to tell my father what has befallen
me. Break it to him, and make as light
of it as you can."
But it was not at all an easy thing to
break. Even with all his anxiety ; with all
the horrors in the background ; with all his
pity for Audley, Temple Masters could
hardly repress a smile as he put pen to
paper and commenced his letter to " My
Lord." What would '' My Lord " think of
his news before he came to the end of his
letter ? Would it not seem almost too in-
credible ? Would he not think that some
audacious hoax was being played upon him ?
or, when at last convinced that what he
was being told was ti*uly a reality, and a
very serious one, would he not be far more
inclined to condemn Audley than to help