Croyden glanced at it, mechanically tore open the envelope, and drew it
out. As his eyes fell on the first line, he stopped, abruptly.

"Listen to this!" he said.

"On Board The Parmenter,
"Pirate Sloop of War,
"Off the Capes of the Chesapeake.

"Dear Sir:--

"It seems something is required to persuade you that we mean
business. Therefore, we have abducted Miss Carrington and her
friend, Miss Cavendish, in the hope that it will rouse you to a
proper realization of the eternal fitness of things, and of our
intention that there shall be a division of the jewels--or their
value in money. Our attorney had the pleasure of an interview
with you, recently, at which time he specified a sum of two
hundred and fifty thousand dollars, as being sufficient. A
further investigation of the probable value of the jewels, having
convinced us that we were in slight error as to their present
worth, induces us to reduce the amount, which we claim as our
share, to two hundred thousand dollars. This is the minimum of
our demand, however, and we have taken the ladies, aforesaid, as
security for its prompt payment.

"They will be held in all comfort and respect (if no effort at
rescue be attempted--otherwise we will deal with them as we see
fit), for the period of ten days from the receipt of this letter,
which will be at noon to-morrow. If the sum indicated is not
paid, they will, at the expiration of the ten days, be turned
over to the tender mercies of the crew.--Understand?

"As to the manner of payment--You, yourself, must go to
Annapolis, and, between eleven and twelve in the morning, proceed
to the extreme edge of Greenberry Point and remain standing, in
full view from the Bay, for the space of fifteen minutes. You
will, then, face about, step ten paces, and bury the money, which
must be in thousand dollar bills, under a foot of sand. You will
then, immediately, return to Annapolis and take the first car to
Baltimore, and, thence, to Hampton.

"In the event that you have not reduced the jewels to cash, we
will be content with such a division as will insure us a moiety
thereof. It will be useless to try deception concerning
them,--though a few thousand dollars, one way or the other, won't
matter. When you have complied with these terms, the young women
will