Hope and pray, rather, that you and he may never meet
face to face again in this world. I write in great haste and in
great fear of being observed. Time fails me to prepare you as you
ought to be prepared for what I have now to disclose. I must tell
you plainly, with much respect for you and sorrow for your
misfortune, that your husband _has married another wife_. I saw
the ceremony performed, unknown to him. If I could not have
spoken of this infamous act as an eye-witness, I would not have
spoken of it at all.
"I dare not acknowledge who I am, for I believe Mr. James Smith
would stick at no crime to revenge himself on me if he ever came
to a knowledge of the step I am now taking, and of the means by
which I got my information; neither have I time to enter into
particulars. I simply warn you of what has happened, and leave
you to act on that warning as you please. You may disbelieve this
letter, because it is not signed by any name. In that case, if
Mr. James Smith should ever venture into your presence, I
recommend you to ask him suddenly what he has done with his _new
wife,_ and to see if his countenance does not immediately testify
that the truth has been spoken by
"YOUR UNKNOWN FRIEND."
Poor as my opinion was of my master, I had never believed him to
be capable of such villainy as this, and I could not believe it
when the lawyer had done reading the letter.
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