I wish you could persuade him to come and see me once more before he goes.

I shall expect to see _you_ anyhow.
Father does not suspect anything out of the ordinary as yet, and it will be quite safe.
"Your friend, "MARY YARDWELL." As soon as he decently could Harold went to his room and opened the important letter.

In it the reticent-girl had uttered herself with unusual freedom.

It was a long letter, and its writer must have gone to its composition at once after the door had closed upon her visitors.

It began abruptly, too: "DEAR FRIEND: My heart aches for you.