Grace Crawley had met the young lady at Silverbridge, and words had been spoken about the cousin; and though the young lady from Allington was some years older than Grace, there had grown up to be a friendship, and, as is not uncommon between young ladies, there had been an agreement that they would correspond.

The name of the lady was Miss Lily Dale, and the name of the well-to-do cousin in London was Mr.
John Eames.
At the present moment Miss Dale was at home with her mother at Allington, and Grace Crawley in her terrible sorrow wrote to her friend, pouring out her whole heart.

As Grace's letter and Miss Dale's answer will assist us in our story, I will venture to give them both.
Silverbridge, -- December, 186--.
DEAREST LILY, I hardly know how to tell you what has happened, it is so very terrible.

But perhaps you will have heard it already, as everybody is talking of it here.

It has got into the newspapers, and therefore it cannot be kept secret.