The Traitor's Gate by Edgar Wallace — Read

HOPE JOYNER had a very light post-bag, and though the inevitable circulars and trade advertisements came in normal volume, her own private correspondence was small. That morning, when her maid brought her letters in with the tea, she saw a familiar blue envelope, and with a little grimace extracted it from the other letters. Her lawyer seldom wrote, but when he did, there was something unpleasant to be said, and this missive was no exception.

Dear Miss Joyner, the letter ran, We have learnt that you are acquainted with a Mr. Hallowell. We feel that your trustees would not approve of this acquaintance, and it is our duty to inform you that Hallowell, although an educated man, has served a term of imprisonment for fraudulent conversion. In the circumstances it might he advisable to discontinue an acquaintance which must necessarily he an unprofitable and possibly a painful one. We are, dear Miss Joyner,