Iv.] THE WITCHES?’ ISLAND. 215

 

as he did so a letter, which fell at her feet. _ Stooping
down, she saw with some surprise that it was directed
to her, at least the words, ‘For Molly’ were written
on the envelope, and this could certainly mean no
one else. So she opened it without delay, and found
these words :—

-‘Dear Wife,—I am very well and very happy. It
is quite a mistake to suppose that witches are bad
people. The ladies who live in this island and whom
we have always called witches, are charming people
and very kind to me. Make friends with them if you
can, it will be better for both of us, and you will be
glad afterwards.

‘Your affectionate husband,
‘JOHN GOODCHILD,’

Never had Molly been so much astonished in her
life as at the perusal of this letter. The advice which
it contained appeared extraordinary, the manner in
which it had been delivered was, to say the least of it,
unusual, and, coupling it with the invitation given her
by the three strange beings whom at her first landing

_she had encountered in the shape of well-dressed
ladies, she felt that there was evidently a design on
the part of the witches to afford her, as well as her
husband, a permanent residence on the island. ;

But, as Molly was no fool, she not only regarded
with suspicion the advice contained in the letter, but
entertained the gravest doubts with respect to the
letter itself Had it really come from John? he had
never written her such a letter before in all his life.
Indeed, writing was not an art in which he at all ex-