A Queer Race: The Story of a Strange People — page 133: what you’re looking at

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

480 A QUEER RACE. certain as you are living to meet with a serious, if not a fatal Accident. } ‘‘A PRESENT FRIEND, BUT A POTENTIAL FOE.” ‘‘ Pleasant!” I thought, after reading this precious missive over a second and third time. ‘‘'Uhe queen re- fuses to let me go; and if I stay ] am to be murdered!” CHAPTER XXI. A DANCING LESSON. I HATE anonymous letters. You can. never tell what to make of them—whether they are jest or earnest, whether the writer really means what he says, or is merely amusing himself at your expense, The letter | had just received looked like a grim joke; for who could suppose that it was possible for me to get away in ten days, even though the queen and the Council of Nine were as willing to let me go, as they were notoriously un- willing? It was hardly conceivable that I had made an enemy already, and I could think of nobody who had an interest in hastening my departure. Yes, it must be a joke; and yet—lI felt that there might be something in it, aiter all. But if the rascally writer of the letter thought to frighten me, he was mis- taken. His threat should not force me to leave the island a day sooner than suited my convenience, even though I were at full liberty to leave, and the means of leaving were at my disposal. Hiad I merely consulted my inclinations, and been able to inform my mother of my whereabouts and safety, I should have been quite content to make a long stay in the island. Queen Mab and her piebaild people interested me much, and | wanted to see more of them. But the Diana was long past due at Montevideo; unless she was soon heard of, the owners and underwriters must needs conclude that she was lost, with all on board, and my mother, who had only me, wou'd be well-nigh heart- broken. It was, morever, my duty to inform poor Mrs. Peyton, and the other friends of those who had perished, so soon as might be, of the fate that had befallen them; and I could not forget that the longer I was absent from Liverpool the more difficult I should find it to obtain a EOmMmiG ool) SS Geom