Melinda was shocked, astonished, and confounded, but she did not believe in Frank Van Buren.

Ethie never went with him--never.

She, like Andy, would swear to that, and she said as much to Richard, taking Ethie's side as strongly as she could, without casting too much blame on him.

And Richard felt better, hearing Ethie upheld and spoken for, even if it were so much against himself.

Melinda was still his good angel, while Ethie, too, had just cause for thanking the kind girl who stood by her so bravely, and even made the mother-in-law less harsh in her expression.
There was a letter for Richard that night, from Harry Clifford, who wrote as follows: "I do not know whether you found your wife at Mrs.Amsden's or not, but I take the liberty of telling you that Frank Van Buren has returned, and solemnly affirms that if Mrs.Markham was on board the train which left here on the 17th, he did not know it.