But we have a great dislike to any affair with the
police, and so we thought we would wait before telling them of her
disappearance, and it is indeed fortunate that we did so!"
"Will you kindly show me the letter she left for you?" said Sylvia.
Without speaking, Madame Malfait bent down over her table, and then held
out a piece of notepaper on which were written the words:
Madame Malfait,--
Being unexpectedly obliged to leave Lacville, I enclose herewith 200
francs. Please pay what is owing to you out of it, and distribute the
rest among the servants. I will send you word where to forward my
luggage in a day or two.
Sylvia stared reflectively at the open letter.
Anna had not even signed her name. The few lines were very clear, written
in a large, decided handwriting, considerably larger, or so it seemed to
Sylvia, than what she had thought Anna's ordinary hand to be. But then
the Englishwoman had not had the opportunity of seeing much of her Polish
friend's caligraphy.
Before she had quite finished reading the mysterious letter over a second
time, Madame Malfait took it out of her hand.
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