I thank you for your foolish letter, and hasten to set
you, hair-brained as you are, upon the scent of our prey,
a wild beast cousin, that may be tracked in blood. Judge
of my earnestness, when I consent to overlook your
swearing, and address you, seriously. But so it is. I
have just received a letter from Washington, which I
must commit to your care. Do not deceive me, Frank.
I think that I know you. That unthinking levity of
yours, is affectation. You are boisterous, and rude, that
you may not be suspected of sentiment. Is it not so?—
Have you not been too keenly alive to—but no. It is
enough for me, that you have a steady hand, and a stout
heart. Will you do me a favour? I want to put your

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life at hazard. But that is not all. That you will permit,
I am sure, whatever may be the cause. But I demand
what is more difficult for you to perform;—yet, the
cause is worthy of it—a continual effort. Can you
be a man?—stern, inflexible and serious, for a while;—
a few weeks only. You can—you will. I shall understand
that you are ready to be, what I am sure you are
capable of being, with all your constitutional rashness,
and affected frivolity, a prudent, but implacable minister
of justice, if you do not refuse, by return mail.

By the enclosed, you will perceive that I have good
reason to suspect that the girl, whom you will recollect
only, as Helen, and speak of, in the same way, when you
write to me, lest any of our letters should miscarry, is
really in this country, after all:—nay—that she is, in
what capacity I know not, whether wife, or mistress, a
follower of Edward Molton!—You are thunderstruck.

But, I have no time to explain. You will perceive
also, who and what she is, by the enclosed; which, after
reading it, I beg you to return to me. Perhaps the
tremendous riddle is about to be unfolded. O, how sincerely,
how fervently, do I pray to our Heavenly Father,
that it may be! Frank—my dear, dear Frank, think
what I am trusting to you;—the honour of a whole family.
Ah, be not indiscreet, or precipitate. I have chosen
you, in preference to John, because I think it safer;—for,
to deal plainly with you, nobody would ever suspect me
of employing you, in an affair of so much delicacy and
mystery.

The moment that you have read this, and re-enclosed
the contents to me again, you will take immediate steps,
to ascertain the truth of the conjecture. I have little
doubt now:—but we must be certain, entirely certain, before
we act.