"Oh, please, mother, give it to me!" said Mary, rising up with
animation; "he mentioned having sent me one."

"Perhaps you had better wait till morning," said Mrs. Scudder; "you are
tired and excited."

"Oh, mother, I think I shall be more composed when I know all that is
in it," said Mary, still stretching out her hand.

"Well, my daughter, you are the best judge," said Mrs. Scudder; and she
set down the candle on the table, and left Mary alone.

It was a very thick letter of many pages, dated in Canton, and ran as
follows:--


CHAPTER XXXVI.

JACOB'S VOW.

"My Dearest Mary:--

"I have lived through many wonderful scenes since I saw you last. My
life has been so adventurous, that I scarcely know myself when I think
of it. But it is not of _that_ I am going now to write. I have written
all that to mother, and she will show it to you. But since I parted
from you, there has been another history going on within me; and that
is what I wish to make you understand, if I can.

"It seems to me that I have been a changed man from that afternoon when