“Interslipted of it!” she replied.
“Then this never reached its destination?”
“Eh?”
“This never was delivered?”
“Not much! There’d ‘a’ been murder done before this if it had been! And there’ll be murder done yet if there ain’t a stop put to it! Let me tell you all how and about it.”
And, while the squire and the rector listened, with the most painful interest, Miss Sibby told of Leonidas Force’s sudden visit of the previous afternoon, of her suspicions, and of her seizing an opportunity afforded and opening the envelope, taking out the sheet of note paper, tearing off the half containing the challenge, folding and replacing the other leaf, and finally closing up the envelope, and returning it to its place.
“My wagabone of a ’dopted nevvy took the note without suspicion, and went off with it. I’d like to ‘a’ seen that colonel’s face when he opened it and found nothing but a blank paper! Howsever, I haven’t seen hair nor hide of my scamp since, so I don’t know how it all ended! And I don’t know where he is! But naught’s never in danger, and I reckon as he is safe and sound with t’other scamp at Greenbushes.”
“What do you think of this, now, for a mad missive? Oh, read it out—read it out! I know how it looks! I want to hear how it sounds!” said the squire, as he passed the challenge over to the rector, and watched the latter staring at the lines.
And, with his hair gradually rising on end, the good man read as follows:
“Greenbushes, December 21, 18—,