She started when she
saw him, and he thought she acted as if she wanted to speak to him, but
just then some other boarders entered, and she turned from him
abruptly. She sat opposite him at the table a few moments later, but
she did not look in his direction.
On his return to the stable after supper, Washburn gave him a letter.
He recognized Sue Dawson's handwriting on the envelope.
"Is it a order?" asked Washburn, thinking it concerned the business.
"No, no; from a--a friend." Westerfelt lighted a candle at the wick of
Washburn's lantern and went up to his room. He put the candle on a
little table and sat down by it.
"I'll never read another line from that woman," he said. "I can't.
She'll run me crazy! I've suffered enough."
He threw the letter unopened on the table, and clasped his hands over
his knee and sat motionless for several minutes. Then he picked up the
letter and held one corner of it in the candle-flame. It ignited, and
the blue blaze began to spread over the envelope. Suddenly he blew it
out and tore the letter open. The margin of the paper was charred, but
the contents were intact.
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