Although Betty Ashton probably understood her friend even better than
her sister did, as she sat quietly by Mollie's side for several hours
insisting that there was really nothing alarming in Polly's flight and
that she would doubtless be both vexed and ashamed of herself in the
morning, she too was equally puzzled. For naturally she was not so
confident as she pretended, although not until her hour came for rest
and after she had actually tumbled into bed did she break down. Then
Esther and Sylvia Wharton, who in some strange, quiet fashion seemed a
comfort to everyone to-night, had insisted that they relieve Betty's
watch with Mollie.
Dropping on her couch, not to sleep but to gain strength for the next
day's quest, quite by accident Betty's hand slipped under her pillow.
With a low exclamation, overheard by the other three girls in the tent,
she drew out folded square of paper. Her name was on the outside,
apparently hurriedly addressed in Polly's handwriting. It read:
DEAR BETTY:
Your money was stolen, at least not in the way you think it was, but
perhaps in another almost as bad. For I found it in the woods on the
day when I went into the village alone and I made no effort to find out
to whom it belonged. You must have dropped it out of your letter on
your way back to camp, for there was no mark on the envelope in which I
found it.
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