Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1915-08-06
CHAPTER vIII-continued.

We'll, the last I received only a
brtnight ago. If you will wait mo-
bent will go and get it. 1t was so
TRANCE that l haven't destroyed it."
IND she went out, and l heard by
be the frou-frou of her skirts that she
Fas ascending the stairs
After five minutes of breathless anxi-
ty she rejoined me, and handing me
be letter to read, said:
1T is not in her handwriting-I won
Ter why?"
The paper was of foreign make, with
lue lines ruled in squares. Written
a hand that was evidently foreign,
pr the mistakes in the photography
Fere many, was the following curious
pronunciation:
" Dear Lydia:
Perhaps you may never get this letter
be last 1 shall ever be able to send you.
bdeed l run great risks in sending It.
h you do not know the awful disaster
bat has happened to me, all the terrors
pa the tortures I endure. But no one can
Bsst me, and am now looking forward
the time when 1t will all be over. Do
pu recollect our old peaceful days in the
hrden at Chichester? 1 think of them
ways, always. and compare that sweet
pace Of the past with my own terrible
pferings Of today. All, how I wish 1
ight see you once again; how that /
Zipbt feel no NJ =
par your words of hope and encourage
ent! But happiness is now debarred
pm me, and 1 am only sinking to the
Ave under this slow torture of body and
soul.
This will pass through many hands be-
Re 1t reaches the post If, however. 1t
Ter does get dispatched and you receive
Will you do me one last favor-a favor
an unfortunate girl who is friendless
pd helpless, and who will no longer trou-
e the world? It Is this: Take this let
L to London, and call upon Mr.. Martin
oodroffe at 98 Cork street, Piccadilly.
pow him my letter, and tell him from
e that through it all 1 have kept my
Fomise. and that the secret is stifl safe.
e VIII understand-and also know why /
1hnot write this with my own hand. If
Is abroad. keep it until he returns.
II IS all | ask of you, Lydia, and /
uoW mat II this reaches you, you will
% refuse me. You have been my only
ieha ana conf1dante, but / now bid you
rewell for the unknown beckons me,
~ from the grave l cannot write. Again
ITeWel, and for ever.
Your loving and affectionate friend,
ELMA.
A very strange letter, is it not?" re-
parked the girl at my side. 81 can't
pake 1t out. You see there is no ad.
Iress, but the postmark is Russian.
\ ne IN evidently in Russia"
In Finland" l said, examining the
'amp and making out the post town to
e A0o. But have you been to Lon
On ana executed this strange commits
|ion?"
NO. We are going up next week.
Etend to call upon this person named
FoOdroffe."
made no remark. He was, knew,
|Oroad, but was glad at having OBJ
Rined TWO very important clues: first,
pe address of the mysterious yachts
PAN Woodroffe, alias Hornby, and,
secondly, ascertaining that the young
|rl sought was somewhere in the
IlciAlty Of the town of Abo, the Fin.
FiSn port on the Baltic.
Poor Elma, you see, speaks in her
eller OF some secret, Mr.. Gregg" my
Eompanion said. "She says she wishes
Ells Mr.. Woodroffe. whoever he is, to
TnoW that she has kept her promise
ia has not divulged it. This only
ears out what l have all along sus.
lected."
What are your suspicions?"
Well, from her deep, thoughtful
pahner, and from certain remarks she
Hmes made to me, 1 believe Elma
IL possession of some great and ter.
paOle secret-a secret which her uncle,
'@Ion ooerg, is DESTROYS of learning.
KNOW she holds him in deadly fear
'ue Is IN terror that she may inadver-
'N'ly oetray to him the truth"