and it conjured Mrs Twisleton to avoid all connexion whatever
with General Travis and his too fascinating family. The general was
described as a bold bad man, utterly ruined, involved beyond the
possibility of recovery, a mere hanger-on of fashion, an adventurer. His
wife was spoken of as a mere simple instrument in his hand; naturally
disposed to goodness, but perverted by the cruel necessity of her
position. But what said this timely--oh, if but timely!--informer
respecting _her_ whose name I greedily sought out in these disastrous
pages? I grew sick as I proceeded in the narrative. Elinor Travis--so
said the letter--was a clever, subtle, accomplished, and designing
woman. Numerous had been her flirtations, not few her conquests; but the
game she had brought down, it had never been worth the general's while
to bag. The general had been a great traveller. He had passed some years
in India. During his residence there, the fair fame of Elinor Travis had
been--oh, horror!--sullied; falsely so, some said; but still sullied.
She had loved an officer with whom, it was reported--I read no more.

"The writer of this letter, madam," I asked--"is she trustworthy?"

"Alas! alas! yes," exclaimed Mrs Twisleton, in despair.

"It must be prevented by all and every means," I continued.

"We are still safe then?"

"Yes, although I cannot answer for an hour. He must be spoken to,
remonstrated with"----

"Threatened," added Mrs Twisleton, stamping with her foot. "Any thing to
save us."

"I will appeal to his reason."

"Then we are lost," said the lady, emphatically. "That family never
listened to reason yet."

"Do you know," I enquired, "this great foreigner whom they call the
Yahoo?"

"Oh, no! no!" exclaimed Mrs Twisleton, shaking her head impatiently. "I
don't know any of them. I disown them all; they are all impostors. I
said so from the beginning. Oh, Mr Wilson, what _can_ he have to do with
it? How can you talk so idly?"

"Mrs Twisleton," said I, "have I your permission to communicate the
contents of this letter to Mr Sinclair?"

"Yes, but never mention my name in the matter. Take the address of the
writer, and communicate with her yourself. Save your friend, and make
your fortune. Get us all well out of the scrape, and then depend upon me
for speaking about you to his lordship. He shall know the part you have
played; and no man can be more generous than Lord Railton when the fit
is on him."

"Do not trouble yourse