Aunt Jane's Nieces Out West
This, in my opinion, is a stronger proof of Jones' innocence than Lawyer
Colby seems to consider it. To me, it is conclusive.
"Now, then, where is Sangoa? How can one get to the island? And,
finally, how did Jones get here from Sangoa and how is he to return, if
he ever wants to go back to his valuable pearl fisheries, his people and
his home?"
She strove earnestly to answer these questions, but could not with her
present knowledge. So she tucked the notebook into a drawer of her desk,
put out her light and got into bed.
But sleep would not come to her. The interest she took in the fate of
young Jones was quite impersonal. She liked the boy in the same way she
had liked dozens of boys. The fact that she had been of material
assistance in saving his life aroused no especial tenderness in her. On
his own account, however, Jones was interesting to her because he was so
unusual. The complications that now beset him added to this interest
because they were so curious and difficult to explain. Maud had the
feeling that she had encountered a puzzle to tax her best talents, and so
she wanted to solve it.
Suddenly she bounded out of bed and turned on the electric light. The
notebook was again brought into requisition and she penciled on its pages
the following words:
"What was the exact date that Jack Andrews landed in America? What
was the exact date that Ajo landed from Sangoa? The first question
may be easily answered, for doubtless the police have the record.
But--the other?"
Then she replaced the book, put out the light and went to sleep
very easily.
That last thought, now jotted down in black and white, had effectually
cleared her mind of its cobwebs.
CHAPTER XX
A GIRLISH NOTION
Colby came around next morning just as Mr. Merrick was entering the
breakfast room, and the little man took the lawyer in to have a cup of
coffee. The young attorney still maintained his jaunty air, although
red-eyed from his night's vigil, and when he saw the Stanton girls and
their Aunt Jane having breakfast by an open window he eagerly begged
permission to join them, somewhat to Uncle John's amusement.
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There was once a king who was very powerful. He had great influence over the wild beasts and animals. Now the tortoise was looked upon as the wisest of all beasts and men. This king had a son named Ekpenyon, to whom he gave fifty young girls as wives, but the prince did not like any of them. The king was very angry at this, and made a law that if any man had a daughter who was finer than the prince's wives, and who found favour in his son's eyes, the girl herself and her father and mother should be killed.
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