om my thoughts
to injure you. I did, however, once think of forcing you to wed Duffel, and
this is the only real wrong I meditated against you, and I was persuaded it
was for your good; but I see differently now--you shall never be coerced
into a union with any man against your will."

"Thank you for that assurance; it relieves me from one source of disquiet."

"I am entitled to no thanks; it is not a parent's prerogative to use
violence in such cases, though I once held differently. And let me here say
to you, that in all I have done my _motives_ were pure. I desired your good
above all else, and that I was endeavoring to procure happiness for you in
the wrong way was only an error of judgment, the incorrectness of which I
now see clearly."

"How much I have misunderstood you, and how much you have misconceived your
own heart."

"True; the world, and the opinions of worldly men, had almost buried up the
good that was in me; but the light of Heaven has shone into my spirit, the
fog is dispelled, and I see where I have departed from the right way."

"Thank Heaven for that!"

"I hope, now that we understand each other, I may dare to make a request of
you, which you may or may not feel free to grant."

"Name it."

"It is this, that you will hold no communication with Hadley until this
matter is satisfactorily cleared up, or until he can show that he is
innocent of the crimes this letter would fasten upon him."

"If it is your wish I will do so, though I should be pleased to know what
he could say in his own favor. I feel strongly confident he will be able to
prove himself innocent of all and any participation in the many thefts and
other villainies which have of late become so common. Where is he now?"

"Ah, there it is again! I have not told you that Tom was stolen some time
ago."

"Tom stolen!"

"Yes; he was taken very soon after this letter came into my possession, and
Hadley has never been seen or heard of since!"

"How?"

"On the very night that Tom was taken from the stable, Hadley disappeared,
and neither he nor the horse have been heard of since! Have I not strong
reasons for believing him guilty, as held out in this letter?"

"I must confess, this last piece of intelligence staggers my faith."

"You will now begin to understand why I took such decided steps toward him,
as a visitor here, on that memorable occasion which resulted so
disastrously. I had the strongest assurance of his being associa