30 THE OSBORNES AND

thankfully accepted. They invited her and her one
remaining child to come and visit them,—to remain
through a long winter with them; but this she de-
clined, without assigning any reason for so doing.
Not long afterwards, however, she wrote to them
a humble letter, and one which bore evidence of be-
ing written with difficulty ; it was on behalf of her
husband, to beg the loan of a few hundred pounds,
as he had the chance of entering into partnership
in a speculation which promised to return cent. per
cent. Mr. Osborne refused, on the plea of want
of confidence in Edwards and his schemes. The
next post brought a letter from Edwards himself, full
of the most plausible statements regarding his scheme,
and urging the loan of the money almost as a right
on behalf of his wife. This letter was immediately
followed by one from Phebe to her sister, begging her
in the most urgent and moving terms to use her in-
fluence with her husband, as not only Edwards’
worldly prosperity depended on this money being
raised, but her own happiness also. ‘There was an
urgent tone of almost desperation in the letter, and
an instability in the handwriting, that showed the
most agitated state of mind. The Osbornes were
moved ; and, accompanying the money with a letter
of grave tradesman-like advice to Edwards, Mr. Os-
borne remitted it on no other security than his note.
Within a few months, Phebe wrote again; the
cloud had evidently passed away ; but from this time
the tone of her letters was much more serious than —
formerly. She spoke little of her husband, but
much of her child, then six years old, of which she
scemed extremely. fond. A year went on, and letters —
came but seldom ; a second year, and then Edwards and