DEARMR。TRENT，——IshouldnotbewritingtoyounowifIdidnotbelievethatINOWunderstandwhyyouleftussoabruptlyonthedayofthefuneral，andwhyyouwereattimessostrange。Youmighthavebeenalittlelesshardandcoldevenifyouknewallthatyoudidknow。ButImustwritenow，forIshallbeinSanFranciscoafewdaysafterthisreachesyou，andIMUSTseeyouandhaveYOURhelp，forIcanhavenoother，asyouknow。Youarewonderingwhatthismeans，andwhyIamhere。IknowALLandEVERYTHING。IknowHEisaliveandneverwasdead。IknowIhavenorighttowhatIhave，andneverhad，andIhavecomeheretoseekhimandmakehimtakeitback。Icoulddonoother。Icouldnotliveanddoanythingbutthat，andYOUmighthaveknownit。
ButIhavenotfoundhimhereasIhopedIshould，thoughperhapsitwasafoolishhopeofmine，andIamcomingtoyoutohelpmeseekhim，forheMUSTBEFOUND。YouknowIwanttokeephisandyoursecret，andthereforetheonlyoneIcanturntoforassistanceandcounselisYOU。
YouarewonderinghowIknowwhatIdo。TwomonthsagoIGOTA
LETTERFROMHIM——thestrangest，quaintest，andyetTHEKINDEST
LETTER——exactlylikehimselfandthewayheusedtotalk！Hehadjustheardofhisbrother’sdeath，andcongratulatedmeoncomingintotheproperty，andsaidhewasnowperfectlyhappy，andshouldKEEPDEAD，andnever，nevercometolifeagain；thatheneverthoughtthingswouldturnoutassplendidlyastheyhad——forSirWilliamMIGHThavehadanheir——andthatnowheshouldREALLYDIE