He did not in the least doubt her love, but he knew that she had been associated, for a few weeks past, with two persons whose daily conversation would be prone to weaken the tone of her mind.

He no more thought of giving her up than a man thinks of having his leg cut off because he has sprained his sinews.

He would go up to town and see her, and would not even yet abandon all hope that she might be found sitting at his board when Christmas should come.

By that day's post he wrote a short note to her.
"Dearest Alice," he said, "I have resolved to go to London at once.

I will be with you in the evening at eight, the day after to-morrow.
"Yours, J.G." There was no more in the letter than that.
"And now," she said, when she received it, "I must dare to tell him the whole truth.".