yours only, to take or to leave as you shall please. It is for you to decide what the future shall be, but whatever it may be—even if it were to be disgrace—I am ready to share it with you. I am ready to come to you when and where you wish, or never to see you again, if that seems better to you. I am ready to wait, as you said: a year, or many years, and then to come to you and be taken—as you said too—in your arms and bidden never to leave you more."
His answer came by special black boy two days later. It was Jack Nutty who brought it, and Elsie herself, being at the Crossing, took the letter, and asked him the Barólin news.
Jack Nutty grinned. "You no tell, me no tell about that fellow cave," he said. "Me understand all right. Massa Blake been tell me. Ba'al me see Mr. Trant. Mine think it that fellow go off like it Sydney and ba'al come back."
Elsie drew a breath of relief. "Then he has not been at the Gorge?"
"Ba'al mine see him. Mr. Blake he manage all about muster by himself. In one week Barólin Gorge belong to other fellow—no more Blake and Trant—no more Moonlight."
"Are you sorry, Jack?" asked Elsie.
"Me sorry; cobbon sorry," said the black, "but mine think it police very soon find out Moonlight, best stop in time. No hanging now, suppose that fellow find out: but suppose policeman shot, then hang; ba'al mine like that. ... You been see Pompo?" he asked suddenly.
"No," answered Elsie.
"Mine frightened about Pompo. That fellow do everything Trant tell him. Suppose Trant tell him, you go show policeman where Moonlight sit down. Pompo no care; he go. Trant out of the country, all safe. Policeman catch all the rest."
"Oh, no, Jack," said Elsie. "What for Mr. Trant do that? No fear!"
"Ba'al mine know," said the black, shaking his head.
