The girl tore this open eagerly, her eyes searching the few lines: Must see you to-night.

Have learned things, and am going away.

Go down back stairs, and meet me at big cottonwood behind hotel; don't fail.
J.W.
Her breath came fast as she read, and crunched the paper into the palm of her hand.

She understood, and felt no hesitancy.

Westcott had made discoveries so important he must communicate them at once and there was no other way.