If my death comes in that wise there will be trouble.

I take the only way to save her, but I pray you, upon your honor, that you do not let her know, for even your love cannot sweeten her life fully for her if she knows; for love has taught me the heart of this woman.

To you alone, for the sake of the honor of our blood, which has never been shed by our own hands before, I disclose this; for I would be set right in the eyes of one man when I am dead." Lot Gordon pondered long over that; but finally tore up that as he had torn the others, and gathered up all the fragments and crawled across the room with them, and threw them on the hearthfire.
Then, leaving them blazing there, he returned to his desk, and wrote: "_To all whom it may concern, or to all whom in their own estimation it may concern, this:_ "I, Lot Gordon, of Ware Centre, being weary of life, which is a dream, have resolved to force the waking.

Having once before attempted in vain to take my life, I now attempt it again, and this time not in vain, for my hand has grown skilful with practice.

I take my life because of no wrong done me by man or woman, nor because of any vain love; I take it solely because my days upon this earth being numbered through my distress of the lungs, I have not the courage to see death approach by inches, and prefer to meet him at one bound.