other, but I forced him to apologise
plainly, and they all heard him. Then he said that he had
understood that no one in Boston even knew what her name
was, and I said almost (I hope!) before I thought, "she was
a Miss Prynne."

Then I left for the writing-room. My only excuse is that
Roger himself did not correct that fellow from the station
when he called her that, and, honestly, I couldn't turn on
my heel and leave that last remark open. I'm ready to eat
dirt, if need be, but for a fire-eating parson I still think
I did pretty well! To think of my running against Dodge
again after all these years--you remember our famous duel?

What a strange day we had out there! Let me know how Roger
feels about it. It's sure to be in the papers now, I
suppose. The name, I mean--I've quashed the other part, of
course.

Yours faithfully,

TYLER FESSENDEN ELDER.

[FROM SUE PAYNTER]

3--WASHINGTON SQUARE,

Sept. 14th, 188--

JERRY DEAR:

It occurred to me in the middle of the night that you might
be excused for thinking me cold and uninterested in your
request apropos of Roger's wife, and I can't bear you to
think so for a moment. Shall I be quite frank (and how
foolish to be anything else with you, dear Win!) and admit
that I was just a little hurt that Roger had not told me? It
was stupid of me, I know, and I hereby forgive him--before
he asks me, _par exemple!_ I do it thus quickly, I am
afraid, because of an unusually nasty letter from Sarah.
How can a woman be so good and yet so horrid? If Roger has
been unwise, all the more reason for us to stand by him!

But apparently he has not, and you are under the same spell
that bewitched him--don't attempt to deny it. Madam Bradley
threatens us all with excommunication, it seems, but
_n'importe_--she has been kind to me, in her alabaster way,
but it is incredible that I should desert Roger after his
unspeakable goodness to me.

I will meet you whenever and wherever you say and give the
new Mrs. Roger the benefit of whatever good taste Providence
has blessed me with--I am a past mistress of the art of a