Miss Drayton was so disturbed about her sister's illness that she paid
little attention to Pat and Anne. The children, left to their own
devices, wandered about the streets in a way that would have been
thought shocking had any one thought about the matter.
Once when Anne was walking with Pat and again when she was driving with
Mrs. Patterson and Miss Drayton, she caught a glimpse of the steerage
passenger who had spoken to her on the dock, and felt that he was
watching her. And then he spoke to her. It was one morning when she had
gone out alone to buy some picture postcards. She stopped to look in a
shop window, and when she turned, there at her elbow stood the man in
blue overalls.
"Wait a minute," he said, in a strained, muffled voice, as she started
to walk on. "Do you want news of your uncle?"
"Of course I do," she answered in surprise.
"I can give you news. Walk this afternoon to the bridge beyond the shop
where you buy lollipops. Tell no one what I say. No one. If you do, some
great harm will come to your uncle. Will you come?--alone?"
"If I can."
"If you do not, you may never hear of your uncle again. Never."
"Who are you? Do you know Uncle Carey? Tell me--"
"Not now.
Pages:
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45