“Silvia, my darling!” exclaimed the ranger.
“Oh, Rodger!” she exclaimed, springing from the couch and snatching the paper; “but you must not see it.”
“Oh, Rodger! I promised never to breathe a word of it to you.”
“Silver Voice, the Indian woman, the wife of Allacotah.”
“You have kept your promise, Silvia. I saw the paper by accident.”
“Yes, Silvia; but how came you to get the paper from the Indian woman, and where?”
The ranger sighed painfully. He was silent for a moment, then said:
“But Silvia, that paper is a falsehood. I will admit that I have been married to a woman that was an angel, but were she living I would not be here. No, no, Silvia! God knows I loved my wife--yea, adored her, worshiped her; but a cruel fate separated us; death took my darling wife, and in you, Silvia, I had hoped to find her equal.”
“But you have no proof, Rodger, to prove to me that the statement in this paper is untrue--that your wife is dead.”
“I can procure evidence, Silvia, in an hour, yes, in a moment, to prove to you that my wife is dead. But, tell me, my dear Silvia, does the handwriting of this note resemble any person’s handwrite that _you_ know?” and he handed her the note.
Silvia took the paper and examined the writing closely. A shade of sadness came over her face, as she replied:
“Yes, Rodger, it resembles my poor sister Florence’s writing a great deal, though she was a better writer.”
“Are you _certain_ that she is dead?” the ranger asked.
“Why, Rodger, you are getting excited,” she replied, with much surprise at the ranger’s question. “Of course I would not tell you a falsehood about my sister being dead, since it is nothing to you.”
“But it is something to me, Silvia; it is something to me; but, let us drop the question, before it gets to be painful. I must go and search for your father and that Indian woman who gave you the paper. Have you any fears to remain here alone?”
“None at all since I have such a noble companion and protector as Purle, the panther.”
“Then I will take my departure, entertaining hopes that the mystery that enshrouds us will be cleared away, and that I may yet insist for an answer to the question of my love for you,” said the ranger, and as he concluded he turned and left the maiden alone.