The letter was from Exeter.

His father had been taken ill, and had very quickly been pronounced to be in danger.

That evening--the evening on which his sister wrote--the old man was much worse, and it was desirable that Mark should go off to Exeter as quickly as possible.

Of course he went to Exeter--again leaving the Framley souls at the mercy of the Welsh Low Churchman.

Framley is only four miles from Silverbridge, and at Silverbridge he was on the direct road to the West.