Page:A Wild-Goose Chase - Balmer - 1915.djvu/32

18 them to me I noted an unusual appendage attached to the leg of one.

"Though I cannot judge of the matter, I have acted upon the possibility that the message upon the bird might be of concern to you, and accordingly I rewrapped it as nearly in the manner in which I found it as I was able to recollect.

"I take pleasure in forwarding to you, separately, the bird as brought to me.

"Sincerely your servant,

"."

Geoff turned the letter over slowly. His sister bent toward him tensely; then he looked up at her and for a moment she met his eyes. She looked away from him and, gazing out her window, suddenly she put her hand on her brother's shoulder and seized him.

"Before you say anything, look out there!" she pointed. "Look out there!"

He followed her direction in wonder. The blue, smooth expanse of the great lake lay warming in the spring sun after the winter's cold; a faint, irridescentiridescent [sic] film of evaporation