"In the elegant and improving companionship which I now enjoy I should
feel quite happy but for one drawback. The climate of Canada is not
favorable to my kind patroness, and her medical advisers recommend
her to winter in London. In this event, I am to have t he privilege of
accompanying her. Is it necessary to add that my first visit will be
paid at your house? I feel already united by sympathy to your mother and
your sisters. There is a sort of freemasonry among gentlewomen, is
there not? With best thanks and remembrances, and many delightful
anticipations of your next letter, believe me, dear Mr. Holmcroft, "Truly yours, "GRACE ROSEBERRY."
From MR. HORACE HOLMCROFT to MISS GRACE ROSEBERRY.
"MY DEAR MISS ROSEBERRY--Pray excuse my long silence. I have waited for
mail after mail, in the hope of being able to send you some good news
at last. It is useless to wait longer. My worst forebodings have been
realized: my painful duty compels me to write a letter which will
surprise and shock you.
"Let me describe events in their order as they happened. In this way I
may hope to gradually prepare your mind for what is to come.
"About three weeks after I wrote to you last, Julian Gray paid the
penalty of his headlong rashness. I do not mean that he suffered any
actual violence at the hands of the people among whom he had cast his
lot. On the contrary, he succeeded, incredible as it may appear,
in producing a favorable impression on the ruffians about him. As I
understand it, they began by respecting his courage in venturing among
them alone; and they ended in discovering that he was really interested
in promoting their welfare. It is to the other peril, indicated in my
last letter, that he has fallen a victim--the peril of disease. Not long
after he began his labors in the district fever broke out. We only heard
that Julian had been struck down by the epidemic when it was too late to
remove him from the lodging that he occupied in the neighborhood. I
made inquiries personally the moment the news reached us. The doctor in
attendance refused to answer for his life.
"In this alarming state of things poor Lady Janet, impulsive and
unreasonable as usual, insisted on leaving Mablethorpe House and taking
up her residence near her nephew.
"Finding it impossible to persuade her of the folly of removing from
home and its comforts at her age, I felt it my duty to accompany her.
We found accommodation (such as it was) in a river-side inn, used by
ship-captains and commercial travelers. I took it on myself to provide
the best medical assistance, Lady Janet's insane prejudices against
doctors impelling her to leave this important part of the arrangements
entirely in my hands.