Page:Resurrection Rock (1920).pdf/174

 city, when Mrs. Wain came briskly downstairs and welcomed her.

"It is so nice of you to come here, Miss Ethel. Mrs. Cullen will be so pleased when she hears of it." Mrs. Wain always spoke as though Agnes was certain to return. "I was wondering yesterday if this might mean you were soon to arrive, though I would have forwarded it, if I had known where to send it."

"This" was a letter which the housekeeper was offering—a square, firm, well-filled envelope with British stamps and with the British strip, "Opened by the Censor." The address was written in bold, vigorous handwriting which Ethel observed with a start; for she knew that writing, though she could not immediately place it. The address was to herself at this number on Scott Street; the postmark was London of a date two weeks earlier; it had arrived in Chicago yesterday afternoon and therefore had been awaiting Ethel about twenty-four hours.

She could not recall when she previously had received mail at cousin Agnes's address; certainly she had not anticipated visiting here again until she made her decision upon the train. Who could have known, in London fourteen days ago, that a letter addressed to Scott Street would catch her?

Her agitation was not lessened by her recollection of the handwriting as she tore open the envelope. This was from Barney's friend of the Canadian battalion who had written Barney of her father's attempt to speak to him, who had told Barney to hasten to Resurrection Rock and had foretold that he would find some one named Bagley and another person named Carew there. The letter read: