The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1915-09-11
CHAPTER vilI-Continued.

We'll, the last | received only a
fortnight ago. If you will wait a mo-
ment will go and get it. 1t was SO
strange that | haven't destroyed it,
And she went out, and l heard by
the the frou-frou of her skirts that she
was ascending the stairs.
After five minutes of breathless anxi.
ETY. she rejoined me, and handing me
the letter to read. said:
1T Is not in her handwriting-I won
der why?"
The paper was of foreign make, with
blue lines ruled in squares. Written
In hand that was evidently foreign,
Tor the mistakes in the photography
were many, was the following curious
communication:
Perhaps you may never get this letter
the last l shall ever be able to send YOU.
inueed L run great risks in sending H.
An! you do not know the awful disaster
that has happened to me, all the terrors
and the tortures l endure. But no one can
assist me. and / am now looking forward
10 the time when 1t will all be over. Do
you recollect our old peaceful DAYS I'm the
garden at Chichester? / think of them
always, always. and compare that sweet
peace OF the past with my own terrible
sunerings OF today. All, how I wish /
might see you once again; how that I
might reel your hand upon my brow. and
near your words of hope and ENCOURAGE
ment! But happiness is now debarred
from me. and 1 am only sinking to the
grave under this slow torture of BODY and
OF soul. A1
This will pass through many hands be-
iore II reaches the post. II, however II
ever does get dispatched and you receive
H. VIII you do me one last favor-a favor
TO an unfortunate girl who is friendless
ana helpless. and who will no longer trou-
Die the world? 1t Is this: Take this LET
Yer 10 London, and call upon Mr. Martin
Woodrohe at 9S Cork street, Piccadillv
SHOW him my letter, and tell him from
me that through II all have kent nv
promise. and that the secret is still safe
he Will understand-and also know why 7
cannot write this with my own hand. II
ne Is abroad. keep II until he returns
II Is all i ask of you, Lydia. and
know that II this reaches You. Won will
not refuse me. You have been my only
friend and confidante, but I now bid voi,
farewell. for the unknown beckons me
ahu from the grave 1 cannot write Again
farewell. and for ever.
Your loving and affectionate friend
ELMA.
"A very strange letter, is 1t not?" re-
marked the girl at my side. 81 cant
make 1t out. You see there is no ad.
dress, but the postmark is Russian.
She Is evidently in Russia"
In Finland" l said, examining the
stamp and making out the post town to
De Abo. But have you been to Lon.
don and executed this strange commits
sion?"
mo. We are going up next week. II
intend to call upon this person named
Woodroffe."
1 made no remark. He was, knew.
abroad, but was glad at having oh.
famed two very important clues: first.
the address Of the mysterious yachts.
man, Woodroffe, alias Hornby. and
secondly, ascertaining that the youne
girl ! sought was somewhere in the
vicinity of the town of Abo. the Fin. |
nish port on the Baltic.
Poor Elma, you see, speaks in her
letter OF some secret, Mr.. Gregg" my |
companion said. she says she wishes
this Mr.. Woodroffe. whoever he is, to
know that she has ke-t her promise
ana has not divulged 1t. This only
pears out what / have all along sus-
pected."
what are your suspicions?"
wen, from her deep, thoughtful
manner, and from certain remarks she
~ times made to me. believe Elma
Is In possession of some great and tor.