She saw that the slats had been put on recently, and this made her more sure than ever that the whole thing was a plot. The letter had been a decoy, and had been used solely to get her in his power.
"What does he expect to do?" she asked herself. "I have given him every claim on Uncle Mark's fortune; what more can he wish? Is he afraid I may go back? Perhaps he wants to take my life, so as to be certain I will not cross his path again." And she shivered.
Listening, she heard Homer Bulson bid Sarah Higgins good-by and leave the cottage. At this she breathed a sigh of relief. She knocked steadily on the door, and presently the woman came up.
"What do you want?" she asked through the keyhole.
"Are you going to keep me a prisoner here?"
"Only for a little while, my dear."
"Where has Mr. Bulson gone?"
"To New York, I believe."
"When will he be back?"
"To-morrow, or the day after."