Making sure that all, even Laurel, were sleeping Cora slipped out
into the sitting room, relighted the lamp and unfolded the note that
had been found in the canoe.
She felt her heart quicken. Why did she fear and yet long to know
what that man had to tell her? She read:
"YOUNG LADY:
When you receive this I shall be too far away to further meet your
daring, baffling challenge of my plans. What I intend to do I can
not even tell myself, for everything seemed so easy of evil until
you crossed my path. So easy was it that there was even no victory
in the spoils. But first you came boldly to the den of poor Peters.
Then you deliberately took from us that simple-minded, harmless old
woman, Kate; next you did not call out when she gave you back your
ring--not call out against us. All this to me was incomprehensible.
Why should a young girl not fear us? Why should she not denounce
us? Then you saved that little doll, Mabel Blake, until finally I
began to wonder why I, a talented high-born Italian, should pretend
to love crime when a mere girl could be a noble defender?
The difference made me feel like a coward, and I decided finally to
go away. Before I left I had trouble with Peters. This hurried me
and I have not time to write more now. I know you got back from the
island--boys of your kin do not wait long to find their sisters. By
to-morrow noon, if all goes well with me on the journey, I shall be
able to write that to poor little Laurel which will release her from
her bondage.
Pages:
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141