Geoffrey's Victory by Mrs Georgie Sheldon — page 130: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

126 AN INTERESTING DWELLING. He drew forth his knife, and, working very carefully, finally succeeded in detaching it from its position. Upon examining it he found it to be a portion of a letter that had probably been caught some time, when the slide was being pushed in, and the other part had been hastily torn away, doubtiess by some one trying to remove it from the crevice. He smoothed it out with an eager, trembling hand, while his face grew white from the excitement of the mo- ment. ‘‘Can it be possible that I have found a clew at last?” he muttered, in a repressed tone. “I am afraid it will prove but a faint one, but it may be something to begin upon.” The following is what he read from that torn sheet of paper, which had been torn lengthwise in a very irregular manner : ‘“ATy Drar AN regret that I have your mother. Of cour you alone, and that the for life onlv must now cea unprovided for. My poor lit nothing to comfort you, for I kno cold words are at such a ti heart is with you. I sorrow with sible IT wonld come to yeu vou in this sad hour. But favor of you, Annie. We hav life, and surely you will T want von to remain in your home fer the fnture past. It is yours without “You must not. however, stay there - not be safe, and I want vou to panion ; some one older tha be a sort of protector to vou. expense, Annie, for you know JT have aright to care for you Inclosed you will find che vour present necessities, and will make some perman for vou. Write me at once anxious until I hear from ‘Tver y Such was the fragment which Everet Mapleson found, and he read (t over several times, his face growing whiter, graver, and more thoughtful with each perusal. ‘fAt last!” he eried, striking his clenched hand upon the desk before him. ‘I have felt it coming, and now I comiclooolks Med Vie PP o. rThae vace RS age