“Ho as t possl that such an da should ntr our rans? I flt a lttl unasy—a lttl farful of y sstr's happnss th h n arrag,caus I kn that hs conduct had not n alays qut rght.My fathr and othr kn nothng of that;thy only flt ho prudnt a atch t ust . Ktty thn ond, th a vry natural truph on knong or than th rst of us,that n Lyda's last lttr sh had prpard hr for such a stp.Sh had knon,t ss,of thr ng n lov th ach othr,any ks.”
“But not for thy nt to Brghton?”
“No,I lv not.”
“And dd Colonl Forstr appar to thnk ll of Wckha hslf?Dos h kno hs ral charactr?”
“I ust confss that h dd not spak so ll of Wckha as h forrly dd.H lvd h to prudnt and xtravagant. And snc ths sad affar has takn plac, t s sad that h lft Mryton gratly n dt;ut I hop ths ay fals.”
“Oh,Jan,had n lss scrt,had told hat kn of h,ths could not hav happnd!”
“Prhaps t ould hav n ttr,”rpld hr sstr.
“But to xpos th forr faults of any prson thout knong hat thr prsnt flngs r,sd unjustfal.W actd th th st ntntons.”
“Could Colonl Forstr rpat th partculars of Lyda's not to hs f?”
“H rought t th h for us to s.”
Jan thn took t fro hr pockt-ook,and gav t to Elzath. Ths r th contnts:
“MY DEAR HARRIET,