-crumpled
envelope.

"Shadrach," he said, "I don't hardly know how to begin. It seems so
strange to think that you and me, who've been so close to each other
all these years, should have a secret between us, if only for a little
while. It seems wicked. I guess 'tis wicked, and I'm the wicked one for
keepin' it from you."

The Captain laughed.

"You couldn't be wicked if you was apprenticed to the Old Harry for ten
years, Zoeth," he said. "You don't know how to be and the devil himself
couldn't teach you. Now, don't waste time tellin' me I'm speaking
lightly of sacred things," he added. "For one thing, the Old Scratch
ain't sacred, as I know of, and for another I want to hear that secret.
What is it?"

Zoeth shook his head. "I am wicked, all the same," he said, "but I guess
I've been punished. There wan't any real reason why I shouldn't have
told you afore, but somehow I couldn't make up my mind to speak of it. I
just couldn't. But I'm goin' to tell you now, Shadrach."

He held up the crumpled envelope.

"You remember when I was took sick?" he said. "You remember I was struck
down all of a heap in the kitchen? Yes; well, did you ever wonder what
it was struck me down? I'll tell you. 'Twas a letter that came to me in
the mail that morning. This was the letter. I managed to put it in my
inside vest pocket that time when Isaiah run off after you and left me
lyin' there. I didn't want him to see it. I didn't want anybody to--not
then. Now I want you to read it, Shadrach. But before you do, let me
warn you. You should ask the Almighty to give you strength. You're goin'
to be surprised, Shadrach, surprised and shocked. Here it is; read it."

He handed the envelope to his partner. The latter took it, wonderingly,
and looked at the inscription.

"Nobody's handwritin' that I know," he said.

"You knew it once well enough."

"I did? And it was mailed out in Carson City, Nevada. Why, that's where
the Crawford Smith boy lives, ain't it? What on earth?"

He opened the envelope and from it took several sheets closely covered
with finely written lines. He began to read and, as he read, his
expression changed from curiosity to wonder, to amazement, to anger, to
a mixture of the last three. The final sheet fell from his fingers to
the floor. He looked up with a very white face.

"My God!" he said solemnly.

A half-hour later they were still talking. Shadrach had not entirely
recovered from the surprise, but now he coul