Read "The Light of Scarthey" by Egerton Castle online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
DECEMBER 16TH. -- Again I separate your green boards, my diary. No one has opened you; for your key, now a little rusty, still hangs upon my watch -- my poor watch whose heart has ceased to beat, who, unlike its mistress, has _not_ survived the ordeal by sand and water! What is better, no one has attempted to force your secrets from you; which, since it appears that it had been agreed that Molly de Savenaye was dead and buried in Scarthey sands, speaks well for all concerned. But she is not dead. She is very much alive; and very happy to be so.
This will indeed be an adventure worth reading, in the days to come; and it must be recounted -- though were I to live to a hundred years I do not think I could ever forget it. Tanty Rose (she has not yet stopped scolding everybody for the fright she has had) is in the next room with Madeleine, who, poor dear, has been made quite ill by this prank of mine; but since after the distress caused by her Molly's death she has had the joy of finding her Molly alive again, things are balanced, I take it; and all being well that ends well, the whole affair is pleasant to remember. It has been actually as interesting as I expected -- now that I think it over -- even more.