Dear Brick and Bill:
I put Bill in,because I am sure that by this time he has been told what was in my last letter,and I know he's true blue.I have been so excited since finding out that Red Kimball is determined on revenge,and that Mr.Gledware may be a witness for him,that I can't think about anything but the danger at the cove.I feel that I ought to be there,to lend a hand;what will you do without me,if that horrible highwayman comes slipping around Turtle Hill,or creeps down the north mountain in the dead of night?And I would be on my way there,now,if I didn't hope to find out more about their plans.
They have come back from the picnic,and I am on the watch,feeling sure Red Kimball will come again to have another talk with Mr.Gledware.But he hasn't come yet,and everything is quiet and peaceable,as if things were going along as things always do and always will--it makes me dreadfully nervous!So,as it seemed that nothing was going to happen,I decided to stir up something myself.When there's no news,why not make some of your own?I made some.
This is the same day I overheard that plot in the library,but it is night.When it was good and dark,Annabel came up to my room where I was watching the road from my window,and she sat down and began talking about the picnic and what a fine time she had had,with a good deal about going to Europe.She was all flushed and running over with talk,and after a while it came clear that she's just been engaged to Mr.Gledware.
It seemed to me it would be like fighting behind bushes to tell her what I thought of Mr Gledware,while under his roof and at his expense,so I opened up matters by talking about Wilfred Compton.I told her how faithful and true Wilfred has been to her all these years,carrying her letters next to his heart,and dreaming of her night and day,and how he came to see me,once,because it had been two years since he'd seen a sure-enough girl,and how I tried to interest him as hard as I could,but he never wanted to come back because his heart belonged to Annabel.