The girl was so surprised that she turned the envelope over two or three times and read her name carefully to realize that the letter was for her, and from Hugh's own hand. When at last it was clear to her, her face flushed with confusion, and the first tears which had dimmed her eyes since the hour of his death came to her relief. But the tears did not fall. Realizing that the eyes of all present were upon her, she controlled herself, and rising said: "Excuse me one moment, till I have read it," and passed into her own bedroom, where, with the sense of his presence, she clasped it to her tenderly an instant, and still standing, broke the seal. It was simple, sincere, and so formal that all the world might have read it, and yet, it said all that she would have wanted him to say. My Dear Elizabeth [it began]: When this reaches your hand, my heart will have ceased to trouble either of us. I will have fought my little fight; I will have kept the faith--which I started out too late to keep. The little I leave you will be small recompense for all I have cost you, but it is all I have, and will, I hope, help toward emancipating you from care. My one earnest bit of advice to you is, _keep it free from debts_. I wish I might have spared you these last few days and their various burdens, but I am sure they will be less heavy than if I chose to wait. Hugh. Elizabeth Hunter returned to the table with the open letter, which she handed to Doctor Morgan saying: "Read it aloud, Doctor," and stood behind her chair with her head bowed while it was being done. When it was finished, she looked about her, measuring the different members of the group, wondering if it said the things to them which it cried aloud to her. The survey was satisfactory, till she suddenly realized that John was not there. "Where's John," she asked. "Gone out to see Nate Hornby--he's brought the baby," Luther answered. Doctor Morgan started for home, taking the will with him to have it legally probated, and Elizabeth took Jack from his father's arms, and went back to put away her letter, forgetting that John had not heard it read. Nathan came to spend the rest of the day. He knew from personal experience the cheerlessness of the house which has but lately harboured the dead. CHAPTER XXIV FACING CONSEQUENCES