We may take it, therefore, that the letter was composed by an educated man who wished to pose as an uneducated one, and his effort to conceal his own writing suggests that that writing might be known, or come to be known, by you.

Again, you will observe that the words are not gummed on in an accurate line, but that some are much higher than others.

'Life,' for example is quite out of its proper place.

That may point to carelessness or it may point to agitation and hurry upon the part of the cutter.

On the whole I incline to the latter view, since the matter was evidently important, and it is unlikely that the composer of such a letter would be careless.