Part 32 (1/2)
”There's got t' be so done with these daettin' so no woht!”
TwentyJoanne and Peggy inside, now as busily excited as two phoebe birds, and after Joanne had insisted upon Aldous sleeping at the Blacktons' that night, the two men accompanied MacDonald a few steps on his way back to caan cursing softly under his breath
”So you didn't send that dauessed you didn't send it!”
”No, we didn't send a note”
”And you had a reason--you and MacDonald--for not wanting the girls to know the truth?”
”A ot to thank MacDonald for closing ive it away And now, Blackton, I've got to confide in you But before I do that I want your word that you will repeat nothing of what I say to another person--even your wife”
Blackton nodded
”Go on,” he said ”I've suspected a thing or two, Aldous I'll give you oing deeply into detail, Aldous told of Quade and his plot to secure possession of Joanne
”And this is his work,” he finished ”I've told you this, Paul, so that you won't worry about Peggy You can see froht's events that they were not after her, but wanted Joanne Joanne oing to settle with Quade Just how and where and when I'oing to answer toto answer soon”
Blackton whistled softly
”A boy brought the note,” he said ”He stood in the dark when he handed it to nize any one of the three men who juht, but if there's any one on the face of the earth who has got it over Peggy when it co, I'd like to know her name! Joanne didn't have tian screa her They had about laid me out with a club, so I was helpless
Good God----”
He shuddered
”They were river men,” said MacDonald ”Probably so for the river”
A few ht to MacDonald, the old hunter said again, in a whisper:
”Nohat do 'ee think, Johnny?”
”That you're right, Mac,” replied Aldous in a low voice ”There is no longer a choice Joanne o with us You will come early?”
”At dawn, Johnny”
He returned to the bungaloith Blackton, and until htly while the two ht's adventure, and Aldous told of his and Joanne's plans for the honeyin the next day
It was half-past twelve when be locked the door of his and sat down to think