Page:In a Glass Darkly - v1.djvu/126

116 of this missive, except that it was written in a hand which he did not know—perhaps it was disguised—for the tall narrow characters were sloped backward; and with the self-inflicted suspense which we often see practised in such cases, he puzzled over the inscription for a full minute before he broke the seal. When he did so, he read the following words, written in the same hand:—

"Mr. Barton, late captain of the 'Dolphin,' is warned of . He will do wisely to avoid street—[here the locality of his last night's adventure was named]—if he walks there as usual he will meet with something unlucky—let him take warning, once for all, for he has reason to dread

""

Captain Barton read and re-read this strange effusion; in every light and in every direction