A REVELATION
JOY GARGRAVE did not begin her story immediately. For a full two minutes they walked on, environed by the solemn pinewoods, and enveloped in the strange, white silence of the North. The corporal waited, and at last the girl spoke.
“You wonder why I was sitting on the bank, crying?”
“Yes,” he replied frankly. “I am wondering why you should do that, though I may tell you that I already have an idea.”
“You already have an idea?” the girl’s tones, as she echoed his question, betrayed surprise.
“Yes,” he answered, and thrusting a hand inside his fur parka, he produced the note which he had found, and held it towards her. He saw from her face that she recognized it, and he continued slowly: “You see, I found this last night—not far from the place where Koona Dick was lying. I did not know to whom it had been written; and if I had known, I am afraid duty would have compelled me to read it. If I am not mistaken, it was written to you; at any rate it bears your Christian name.”
“It was written to me,” answered the girl quickly. “It is mine.”
“And the writer of it? Was he Koona Dick?”
“Yes,” was the reply.