as so fearful against her that the court in Iowa
refused her any support from the estate, and in her shame and confusion
she went away to Texas and taught school for six months to earn money
enough to make her defense; that there she met an unlettered and
sensitive man, but at the same time one of the clearest-brained, most
generous and noble-hearted men in the world, but in whom, from the fact
he was so sensitive and generous, she could not confide, lest she might
not be able to vindicate herself; and if she failed, she feared she would
not only lose his confidence, but that it would make him believe there
was no truth in the world. How with the money she earned, she was able to
go to New Jersey, to find in the papers of the old clergyman who had
married her (and who had in the meantime died), not only a full record of
the marriage, but the marriage certificate with the names of the
witnesses attached, which certificate had never been called for. By it,
too, she was able to find the witnesses of the marriage, and one of those
witnesses had known her all her life. So when the case came on for
hearing she was so completely vindicated that her neighbors who had
turned on her a cold shoulder came back with every outward demonstration
of joy over her triumph. But she hated the place; converted all she had
into money; bought a lot in a cemetery outside that State and had her
husband's remains moved there, because she thought his sleep would be
vexed in a community so mean; and then wrote to her friend in Texas,
merely asking if he was well, and if she might explain something to him.

In ten days the letter came back with the endorsement on it by the
postmaster that her friend had sold his property at a sacrifice and
disappeared, his nearest friends did not know where. Grace's letter added
that she was worrying under the fear that perhaps if she had not gone to
Texas the true man would never have made the sacrifice.

Grace declared that she was in love with the lady; that she was a
fine scholar, a finished elocutionist, a marvelous musician, and the
comfort of her life in her husband's absence. The letter closed with an
injunction that Sedgwick must bring Jordan safely home with him, and not
be too long about it.

How Sedgwick wanted to show that letter to Jordan! But he realized that
if Mrs. Hazleton loved him it was for her to tell him so.

He racked his brain to invent a necessity for Jordan's return to London,
but a li