“‘But she is gone! Warning is, therefore, needless. You cannot if you would this folly. She is gone—and on a bed of sickness, to which the only hope—and that speedily.
“‘If — by such— hurt you.’”
“Line after line had been here erased and re-written, but all illegibly; nor was it, till after long puzzling and exploring, the last words could be made out to be: “‘All further interchange of letters is a task beyond my strength. It is all said when I write, She is gone, no more to nor would I now—— A few hours more—I pray not days.
“‘Faithful servant,
“‘H. LUTTRELL.’
“It’s clear he’ll have no more correspondence,” said Ladarelle, with a half triumphant manner, as he closed the letter.
“And the other? What will the other do?”
“Do you mean Sir Within?”
“Yes.”
“It’s not easy to say. It seems plain we’re not to expect anything very sensible from him. He is determined to make a fool of himself, and it only remains to see how he is to do it.”