Fanning ran away from Fairview, my father's villa.
And Mr. Fanning, having heard from the principal of the school from
which his daughter had eloped, came furiously to town in search of the
fugitive. Most unfortunately, he ascertained beyond a doubt that his
daughter was living at Fairview, whither she had been taken by the
master of the house, Mr. Henry Lytton. Mistaking altogether the
situation, believing my dear father to have been the first abductor of
the girl, he waylaid him and struck that fatal blow which caused his
death, and which had so nearly cost you, also, your life.

"After committing this dreadful deed, the guilty man fled to his own
home, where he found awaiting him the letter from Mr. Lytton explaining
everything.

"After this his remorse knew no bounds. But ah, he was a coward! He
dared not meet the penalty of his crime. He saw another man condemned to
die for his offense, yet he dared not confess and save the guiltless. He
tried indirect ways. He wrote anonymous letters to the governor. And
when at last he found that these had no effect, and the day of execution
drew very near, he came by night to this house, and in a private
interview with Governor Cavendish, after binding him to a temporary
secrecy, he confessed himself the murderer of Henry Lytton and
related all the circumstances that led to the tragedy.

"This confession, made as it was under the seal of temporary secrecy,
placed the late Governor Cavendish in a false position.

"He could not permit an innocent man to be executed for the crime of a
guilty one. Nor could he, being bound to secrecy, expose the guilty. He
was, therefore, compelled to pardon the supposed murderer, without
giving any explanation to outraged public sentiment for the strangeness
of his action. Such was the explanation made to me by the late Governor
Cavendish, with the stipulation that I should keep the secret during the
natural life of Frederick Fanning--which he felt sure could not be of
long duration--and also that afterward I should reveal it to you, if
ever I should happen to meet you. That is all, my dear friend and
benefactor. And some day, when the poor old lady upstairs shall have
passed away to her heavenly home, this story, which is your vindication,
shall be published to the world. And the name of Victor Hartman, which
you have renounced and declared to be dead and buried, shall be rescued
from unmerited reproach and crowned with merited honor."

Whil