In a few days Madge received the following letter:

'FRANKFORT, O. M.,

HOTEL WAIDENBUSCH.

'My dearest Madge,--I do not know how to write to you. I have begun

a dozen letters but I cannot bring myself to speak of what lies

before me, hiding the whole world from me. Forgiveness! how is any

forgiveness possible? But Madge, my dearest Madge, remember that my

love is intenser than ever. What has happened has bound you closer

to me. I imploreyou to let me come back. I will find a thousand

excuses for returning, and we will marry. We had vowed marriage to

each other and why should not our vows be fulfilled? Marriage,

marriage at once. You will not, you cannot, no, you cannot, you must

see you cannot refuse. My father wishes to make this town his

headquarters for ten days. Write by return for mercy's sake.--Your

ever devoted 'FRANK.' The reply came only a day late.

'My dear Frank,--Forgiveness! Who is to be forgiven? Not you. You

believed you loved me, but I doubted my love, and I know now that no

true love for you exists. We must part, and part forever. Whatever

wrong may have been done, marriage to avoid disgrace would be a wrong

to both of us infinitely greater. I owe you an expiation; your

release is all I can offer, and it is insufficient. I can only plead

that I was deaf and blind. By some miracle, I cannot tell how, my

ears and eyes are opened, and I hear and see. It is not the first

time in my life that the truth has been revealed to me suddenly,

supernaturally, I may say, as if in a vision, and I know the

revelation is authentic. There must be no wavering, no half-

measures, and I absolutely forbid another letter from you. If one

arrives I must, for the sake of my own peace and resolution, refuse

to read it. You have simply to announce to your father that the

engagement is at an end, and give no reasons

.--Your faithful friend 'MADGE HOPGOOD.'

Another letter did come, but Madge was true to her word, and it was

returned unopened.

For a long time Frank was almost incapable of reflection. He dwelt

on an event which might happen, but which he dared not name; and if

it should happen! Pictures of his father, his home his father's

friends, Fenmarket, the Hopgood household, passed before him with

such wild rapidity and intermingled complexity that it seemed as if

the reins had dropped out of his hands and he was being hurried away

to madness.




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