‘What will Eva think when she finds that I have not returned?’ said Edgar. ‘I promised her I would go back.’
‘We must try and get her over here,’ said his father. ‘I shall feel lonely when you and Doris have left me, and Eva will be nice company for me.’
‘She is a dear little thing,’ said Edgar, ‘and you will love her as much as though she were your own child.’
‘Do you think every soul on board the Distant Shore, with the exception of Eva and yourself, was drowned?’ said Robert Foster.
‘There can hardly be any doubt about it,’ said Edgar. ‘Why do you ask?’
‘Because I have received a rather mysterious letter,’ said Robert Foster; ‘it bears the Sydney postmark, and contains news that may interest you. I will show it you.’
Robert Foster unlocked his desk, and put his hand in one of the pigeon-holes. He looked through the letters, but could not find the one for which he searched.
‘Strange,’ he said, ‘I am sure I put it there.’
‘You may have dropped it, or torn it up by mistake,’ said Edgar. ‘Perhaps you remember the contents?’
‘The bulk of them,’ said his father. ‘The letter stated that the writer had been on a cruise to the South Sea Islands, where he met a man who had been saved from a wreck. He believes, from hints the man, who was very reticent, let fall, that he was saved from the wreck of the Distant Shore. When he returned to Sydney he met with Wal Jessop, who was much interested in what he was told about this man. Wal Jessop described Captain Manton, and my correspondent says he firmly believes from this description it is Captain Manton who was saved and is now in the South Seas. He did not tell Wal Jessop this, because the man seemed to have a great desire to be left alone, and had no wish to let people know he had been saved from the wreck of the Distant Shore. It is a most extraordinary story, and I wish I had the letter. I must have torn it up by mistake. It was careless of me to do so.’