. I believe you will
read it, Padre.

It came to-day. It explains itself. The envelope, postmarked Paris, was
addressed to me in typewriting. If Mother Beckett had not had a slight
relapse from working too hard in the den, I might perhaps have been gone
before the letter came. Then it would have had to be forwarded. It's
better that I stayed. You will see why. But--oh, Padre, Padre!

THE LETTER

"MISS O'MALLEY,

"Once I met a lady whose name, as I understood it, was not
unlike yours now, given me by Doctor Paul Herter. I cannot
think that you and she are one. That lady, I'd swear, would be
incapable of--let me say, placing herself in a false position.

"Though you will not recognize my handwriting, I've said
enough for you to guess that James Wyndham Beckett is your
correspondent. I have had the address typed because, for my
parents' sake and to spare them distress, it seems that you and I
must reach some understanding before I venture to let them
know that I'm alive.

"If you are worthy to be called 'friend' by such a man as Paul
Herter, you will wish to atone for certain conduct, by carrying
out the request I make now. I must trust you to do so. But
first let me relieve my mind of any fear for yourself. I have not
contradicted the story you told Herter about our engagement.
What I shall say to my parents when I meet them, as I hope soon
to do, depends upon circumstances. Till you and I have had a
private conversation, you will oblige me by letting things remain
as they are. I have strong reasons for this wish. One of
them--the only one I need explain now, is that it will seem
natural to them I should write to my fiancee--a young, strong
girl able to bear the shock of a great surprise--asking her to break
the news gently and tactfully to my father and mother. I do
ask you to do this. How to do it I must leave to you. But
when you've told my parents that I'm alive, that I've escaped,
that I'm in Paris with Herter, that as soon as my official business
of reporting myself is finished, I'll get leave, you may put into
their hands the following pages of this letter. They will not
think it strange that the girl I am engaged to should keep the
first part for her own eyes. Thus, without your being compromised,
they will learn my adventures without having to
wait until I come. But there's just room enough left on this
first sheet to reiterate that