And, almost as curtly, I answered: "Yes, sir!"
The calm certainty of my tone seemed to comfort him; he relaxed his seemingly strained muscles, and sank back into his chair. He passed his long, thin fingers wearily across his closed eyes several times, then, as he opened them, he asked, sharply: "Can you obey orders?"
"Yes," I answered, "I've been obeying orders all my life long."
"Well," he said, "can you keep quiet—that's the thing. Can you keep quiet about this part?"
I stared silently at him.
"This thing is between ourselves. Now, are you going to tell the people all about when you received it?"
I smiled a little bitterly as I replied: "I am hardly likely to tell my business affairs to people who do not speak to me."
He looked up quickly, for I stood all the time, and asked: "What's that, don't speak to you? Were you not welcomed——"
I broke his speech with laughter, but he would not smile: "Were you not properly treated? Who was lacking in courtesy?"
"Oh, please," I hurried, "don't blame anyone. You see there were no introductions made, and of course I should have remembered that the hospitality of the East is more—er—well, cautious than that of the West, and besides I must look very woolly and wild to your people."