TheagonizedappealwenttoostraighttoMrs。Dornell\'sheartforhertohearitunmoved。Yet，thingshavingcometothispass，whatcouldshedo?Shewasdistracted，andforamomentwasonBetty\'sside。HeroriginalthoughthadbeentowriteanaffirmativereplytoReynard，allowhimtocomeontoKing\'s-Hintock，andkeepherhusbandinignoranceofthewholeproceedingtillheshouldarrivefromFallsonsomefinedayafterhisrecovery，andfindeverythingsettled，andReynardandBettylivingtogetherinharmony。Buttheeventsoftheday，andherdaughter\'ssuddenoutburstoffeeling，hadoverthrownthisintention。Bettywassuretodoasshehadthreatened，andcommunicateinstantlywithherfather，possiblyattempttoflytohim。Moreover，Reynard\'sletterwasaddressedtoMr。Dornellandherselfconjointly，andshecouldnotinconsciencekeepitfromherhusband。
\'Iwillsendtheletterontoyourfatherinstantly，\'sherepliedsoothingly。\'Heshallactentirelyashechooses，andyouknowthatwillnotbeinoppositiontoyourwishes。Hewouldruinyouratherthanthwartyou。Ionlyhopehemaybewellenoughtobeartheagitationofthisnews。Doyouagreetothis?\'
PoorBettyagreed，onconditionthatsheshouldactuallywitnessthedespatchoftheletter。Hermotherhadnoobjectiontooffertothis；butassoonasthehorsemanhadcantereddownthedrivetowardthehighway，Mrs。Dornell\'ssympathywithBetty\'srecalcitrationbegantodieout。Thegirl\'ssecretaffectionforyoungPhelipsoncouldnotpossiblybecondoned。Bettymightcommunicatewithhim，mighteventrytoreachhim。Ruinlaythatway。StephenReynardmustbespeedilyinstalledinhisproperplacebyBetty\'sside。
ShesatdownandpennedaprivatelettertoReynard，whichthrewlightuponherplan。
\'ItisNecessarythatIshouldnowtellyou，\'shesaid，\'whatIhaveneverMentionedbefore——indeedImayhavesignifiedtheContrary——