(she noticed that it was
Dalton's seal) caught her eye. What could he have to say to her in his
friend's behalf? What was there that might be said or left unsaid at Mr.
Dalton's pleasure? She had not much in common with Sydney now-a-days;
but she knew that he was just married, and that he loved his wife, and
she thought that he might perhaps have only kindly words in store for
her--words written perhaps when his heart was soft with a new sort of
tenderness. Lettice was hungering for a word of love and sympathy. She
opened, the letter and read:

"ANGLEFORD, Easter Tuesday.

"MY DEAR LETTICE,

"I am writing this at the close of a short country holiday at
Brooke Dalton's place. You know that Brooke has always been a good
friend to me, and I owe him a debt of gratitude which I cannot
easily repay.

"It would be impossible to express the pleasure with which I heard
from him that he had become attached to my only sister, and that he
was about to make her an offer of marriage. You would properly
resent anything I might say to you in the way of recommendation
(and I am sure that he would resent it also), on the ground of his
wealth, his excellent worldly position, and his ability to surround
his wife with all the luxuries which a woman can desire. I will not
suggest any considerations of that kind, but it is only right that
I should speak of my friend as I know him. The woman who secures
Brooke Dalton for a husband will have the love and care of one of
the best men in the world, as well as the consideration of society.

"I look forward, therefore, to a very happy time when you will be
settled down in a home of your own, where I can visit you from time
to time, and where you will be free from the harass and anxieties
of your present existence. My own anxieties of late have been heavy
enough, for the wear and tear of Parliamentary life, in addition to
the ordinary labors of my profession, are by no means
inconsiderable. And I have recently had some worrying cases. In one
of these I was called upon to prosecute a man with whom you were at
one time unfortunately brought into contact--Walcott by name. He
was accused of wounding his wife with intent to do her grievous
bodily harm, and it was proved that he almost murdered her by a
savage blow with a dagger. There could not be a doubt o