suspicious words
in answer about doubting whether he should trust me to come back.
Fortunately, at that moment, a policeman passed on the opposite side of
the way. He slunk down the Mews immediately, and I was free to make my
escape.

How I got home I can't say, except that I think I ran the greater part
of the way. Sally opened the door, and asked if anything was the matter
the moment she saw my face. I answered: "Nothing--nothing." She stopped
me as I was going into my room, and said:

"Smooth your hair a bit, and put your collar straight. There's a
gentleman in there waiting for you."

My heart gave one great bound: I knew who it was in an instant, and
rushed into the room like a mad woman.

"Oh, Robert, Robert!"

All my heart went out to him in those two little words.

"Good God, Anne, has anything happened? Are you ill?"

"Mary! my poor, lost, murdered, dear, dear Mary!"

That was all I could say before I fell on his breast.

May 2d. Misfortunes and disappointments have saddened him a little, but
toward me he is unaltered. He is as good, as kind, as gently and truly
affectionate as ever. I believe no other man in the world could have
listened to the story of Mary's death with such tenderness and pity as
he. Instead of cutting me short anywhere, he drew me on to tell more
than I had intended; and his first generous words when I had done were
to assure me that he would see himself to the grass being laid and the
flowers planted on Mary's grave. I could almost have gone on my knees
and worshiped him when he made me that promise.

Surely this best, and kindest, and noblest of men cannot always be
unfortunate! My cheeks burn when I think that he has come back with only
a few pounds in his pocket, after all his hard and honest struggles to
do well in America. They must be bad people there when such a man as
Robert cannot get on among them. He now talks calmly and resignedly of
trying for any one of the lowest employments by which a man can earn his
bread honestly in this great city--he who knows French, who can write
so beautifully! Oh, if the people who have places to give away only
knew Robert as well as I do, what a salary he would have, what a post he
would be chosen to occupy!

I am writing these lines alone while he has gone to the Mews to treat
with the dastardly, heartless wretch with whom I spoke yesterday.

Robert says the creature--I won't call him a man--must be humored and
kept deceived abou