g and bore the Chester
postmark. A chill fear seized him. What did it contain? He hurried with
it into a private room and opened it. It was dated from Bryngelly on the
previous Sunday and had several inclosures.

"My dearest Geoffrey," it began, "I have never before addressed you thus
on paper, nor should I do so now, knowing to what risks such written
words might put you, were it not that occasions may arise (as in this
case) which seem to justify the risk. For when all things are ended
between a man and a woman who are to each other what we have been, then
it is well that the one who goes should speak plainly before speech
becomes impossible, if only that the one who is left should not
misunderstand that which has been done.

"Geoffrey, it is probable--it is almost certain--that before your eyes
read these words I shall be where in the body they can never see me
more. I write to you from the brink of the grave; when you read it, it
will have closed over me.

"Geoffrey, I shall be dead.

"I received your dear letter (it is destroyed now) in which you
expressed a wish that I should come away with you to some other country,
and I answered it in eight brief words. I dared not trust myself to
write more, nor had I any time. How could you think that I should ever
accept such an offer for my own sake, when to do so would have been to
ruin you? But first I will tell you all that has happened here." (Here
followed a long and exact description of those events with which we
are already acquainted, including the denunciation of Beatrice by her
sister, the threats of Owen Davies as regards Geoffrey himself, and the
measures which she had adopted to gain time.)

"Further," the letter continued, "I inclose you your wife's letter to
me. And here I wish to state that I have not one word to say against
Lady Honoria or her letter. I think that she was perfectly justified in
writing as she did, for after all, dear Geoffrey, you are her husband,
and in loving each other we have offended against her. She tells me
truly that it is my duty to make all further communications between us
impossible. There is only one way to do this, and I take it.

"And now I have spoken enough about myself, nor do I wish to enter into
details that could only give you pain. There will be no scandal, dear,
and if any word should be raised against you after I am gone, I have
provided an answer in the second letter which I have inclosed. You can
print it if