Then I opened the signorina’s epistle.
“DEAR MR. MARTIN [it began]:
Will you be so kind as to send me in
the course of the day twenty dollars in
small change? I want to give the
school children a scramble. I inclose
check. I am so sorry you could not
dine with me to-night, but after all I
am glad, because I should have had to
put you off, for I am commanded
rather sudden to dine at the Golden
House. With kind regards, believe
me, yours sincerely,
“CHRISTINA NUGENT.”
“Very good,” said I. “I reckon the scramble will keep. And now for the colonel.”
The colonel’s letter ran thus:
“DEAR MARTIN: I inclose check
for five hundred dollars. My man will
call for the cash to-morrow morning.
I give you notice because I want it all
in silver for wages. [Rather a poverty
of invention among us, I thought.]
Carr and I are here together, both
seedy. Poor Carr is on his back and
likely to remain there for a day or two—bad
attack of champagne. I’m
better, and though I’ve cut the affair at
barracks to-night, I fully expect to be
up and about this afternoon.
“Ever yours,
“GEO. MCGREGOR.”
“Oh! so Carr is on his back and likely to remain there, is he? Very likely, I expect; but I wonder what it means. I hope the colonel hasn’t been very drastic. However, everything seems right; in fact, better than I hoped.”
In this more cheerful frame of mind I arose, breakfasted at leisure, and set out for the bank about eleven.
Of course, the first person I met in the street was one of the last I wanted to meet, namely, Donna Antonia. She was on horseback, and her horse looked as if he’d done some work. At the sight of me she reined up, and I could not avoid stopping as I lifted my hat.
“Whence so early?” I asked.
“Early?” she said. “I don’t call this early. I’ve been for a long ride; in fact, I’ve ridden over to Mr. Carr’s place, with a message from papa; but he’s not there. Do you know where he is, Mr. Martin?”