"I wouldn't like to tell you. In fact I couldn't. 'Twould be repeatin' what was told me in confidence," hedged Elisha, frightened by the expression of the woman's face.
"You must tell me."
"Mebbe—mebbe—there warn't no truth in what I heard."
"I must judge of that."
"I ain't got no right to tell you. Things are often told me in confidence, 'cause of my bein' sheriff, that it ain't expected I'll pass on."
"I have a right to know about the telegram you mention. Will you tell me or shall I call up the Sawyer Falls operator?"
"Oh, for heaven's sake don't do that," Elisha pleaded. "Artie Nickerson would be ragin' mad did he find I'd told you. If you must know what the message was, I can repeat it near 'nough, I reckon. It ran somethin' like this:
"Safe on Cape with my lady. Shall return with her later."
"And that was all?" inquired Marcia calmly.
"All! Ain't that enough?" Elisha demanded. "There was a word or two more 'bout clothes bein' sent here, but nothin' of any note. The first of the message was the important part," concluded the sheriff.