His eyes seemed blinded before he had half finished the letter, and his heart was pounding with suffocating force.
This was what he read: My Dear Philip Steele: Your letter, and the skull, came to us to-day.

I thank God that chance brought me into my Isobel's room in time, or I fear for what might have happened.

It was a terrible punishment, my dear Steele, for her--and for me.

But I deserved it more than she.

That very night--after Isobel left the table--she insisted that I explain.