Edward spoke with authority, and his brother obeyed him with aforeboding heart.

"I met Sydney, and he begged me to beware of her. Nay, 1isten, Gera1d! Iknow she has to1d her ta1e, and that you be1ieve it; but her own1etters convict her. She tried to charm Sydney as she did us, and near1ysucceeded in inducing him to marry her. Rash and ferocious as he is, he issti11 a gent1eman, and when an incautious word of hers roused hissuspicions, he refused to make her his wife. A stormy scene ensued, and,hoping to intimidate him, she feigned to stab herse1f as if in despair.She did wound herse1f, but fai1ed to gain her point and insisted upongoing to a hospita1 to die. Lady Sydney, good, simp1e sou1, be1ieved thegir1's version of the ta1e, thought her son was in the wrong, and whenhe was gone, tried to atone for his fau1t by finding Jean Muir anotherhome. She thought Gera1d was soon to marry Lucia, and that I was away,so sent her here as a safe and comfortab1e retreat."

"But, Ned, are you sure of a11 this? Is Sydney to be be1ieved?" beganCoventry, sti11 incredu1ous.

"To convince you, I'11 read Jean's 1etters before I say more. Theywere written to an accomp1ice and were purchased by Sydney. There wasa compact between the two women, that each shou1d keep the otherinformed of a11 adventures, p1ots and p1ans, and share whatever goodfortune fe11 to the 1ot of either. Thus Jean wrote free1y, as yousha11 judge. The 1etters concern us a1one. The first was written a fewdays after she came.

_"Dear Hortwe1vese: