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84 her journey the better, she left the room, so full of painful memories to her now, and locking it once more, dropped the small key into the envelope addressed to Mrs. Shaw.

She called her maid in the adjoining room a little before six o'clock. The girl was surprised to see her mistress already dressed, and when she entered, to find Elizabeth sorting the clothes she meant to take from those that were to be left behind.

"Go down and see if the post-bag is come, Jane. I am expecting a letter which may oblige me to go to London by the early train."

Oddly enough, there was a letter. Elizabeth had so few correspondents, that she opened this with surprise; yet more so when she found that it might (by a strained interpretation) be called the very summons her imagination had devised. Mr. Joshua Twisden wrote, in consequence of her uncle's letter, received the previous day, to express his regret that he would be quite unable to go down to Farley, or, indeed, to leave London for many weeks, being confined to the house by a bad fall, which necessitated complete rest. He could, indeed, send his nephew, Mr. George Daintree, to take Miss Shaw's instructions; but he should much prefer seeing her himself, as one of her trustees, and her late father's intimate friend, before any marriage settlements were drawn up. If, therefore, Miss Shaw could make it convenient to come to London any day, and would wire to him, he would keep the hour she appointed free.

"Tell my groom to have the dog-cart ready at half-past seven; then choose a couple of boxes—whatever