"Why write ?" She hesitated once more, and resigned the idea.

"No! I can't trust myself! I daren't see her yet!" She took up the sheet of paper again, and wrote her second message to Mercy.

This time the note began fondly with a familiar form of address.
"MY DEAR CHILD--I have had time to think and compose myself a little, since I last wrote, requesting you to defer the explanation which you had promised me.

I already understand (and appreciate) the motives which led you to interfere as you did downstairs, and I now ask you to entirely abandon the explanation.

It will, I am sure, be painful to you (for reasons of your own into which I have no wish to inquire) to produce the person of whom you spoke, and as you know already, I myself am weary of hearing of her.