two detached sentences, and some scattered heads for the
continuation of the story. I transcribe the whole.

I.

"Darnford's letters were affectionate; but circumstances occasioned
delays, and the miscarriage of some letters rendered the reception of
wished-for answers doubtful: his return was necessary to calm Maria's
mind."

II.

"As Darnford had informed her that his business was settled, his delaying
to return seemed extraordinary; but love to excess, excludes fear or
suspicion."

* * * * *

The scattered heads for the continuation of the story, are as
follow[159-A].

I.

"Trial for adultery--Maria defends herself--A separation from bed and
board is the consequence--Her fortune is thrown into chancery--Darnford
obtains a part of his property--Maria goes into the country."

II.

"A prosecution for adultery commenced--Trial--Darnford sets out for
France--Letters--Once more pregnant--He returns--Mysterious
behaviour--Visit--Expectation--Discovery--Interview--Consequence."

III.

"Sued by her husband--Damages awarded to him--Separation from bed and
board--Darnford goes abroad--Maria into the country--Provides for her
father--Is shunned--Returns to London--Expects to see her lover--The
rack of expectation--Finds herself again with child--Delighted--A
discovery--A visit--A miscarriage--Conclusion."

IV.

"Divorced by her husband--Her lover
unfaithful--Pregnancy--Miscarriage--Suicide."

* * * * *

[The following passage appears in some respects to deviate from the
preceding hints. It is superscribed]

"THE END.

"She swallowed the laudanum; her soul was calm--the tempest had
subsided--and nothing remained but an eager longing to forget
herself--to fly from the anguish she endured to escape from thought--from
this hell of disappointment.

"Still her eyes closed not--one remembrance with frightful velocity
followed another--All the incidents of her life were in arms, embodied to
assail her, and prevent her sinking into the sleep of death.--Her
murdered child again appeared to her, mourning for the babe of which she
was the tomb.--'And could it have a nobler?--Surely it is better to die
with me, than to enter on life without a mother's care!--I cannot
live!--but could I have deserted my child the moment it was born?--thrown
it on the troubled wave of life, without a hand to support it?'--She
looked up: 'What have I not s