"Mrs. Kirkpatrick knows nothing about it. I've only brevet rank as Colonel."
"Then you were not 'Colonel' when you retired?"
"No."
"But still—" and a pause. "There are only us two. And you always have your pension to count on."
An impatient jerk came in answer. "My dear, you don't know or understand anything about the matter. What is the use of talk?" demanded the Colonel. "If I had the command of my whole pension—but the fact is, I was in difficulties many years ago—had to borrow heavy sums at a heavy rate of interest. It doesn't matter how or why. You don't understand, of course. I have been closely run for years. And now this thousand pounds has to be paid—or—of course, I've known it would have to be paid, but one doesn't realise long before. I always hoped to lay by, and somehow—it hasn't been possible."
"I wish I had known. I would have helped. We might have spent less in so many ways."
"Well, well—it can't be helped now. But mind you take warning. Don't you ever run into debt, or—or put your name to bills."
"Won't the people that you owe the money to wait a little longer?"
The Colonel shook his head.
"Or—couldn't you—" Dorothea hesitated.