“Why didn’t you tell me before,” returned Foray, taking the paper. “Oh,—Major Selwin——”
“Yes, he—he’s one of my friends.”
“It’s all right then,” interposed the Lieutenant, who was naturally very businesslike and peremptory.
He pushed a chair to the other side of the table, placed a small sheet of paper on the table in front of her, and shoved the pen and ink conveniently to hand.
“You can write there, Miss Mitford,” he said.
“Thank you,” said Caroline, looking rather ruefully at the tiny piece of paper which had been provided for her.
Paper was a scarce article then, and every scrap was precious. She decided that such a piece was not sufficient for her purposes, and when Lieutenant Foray’s back was turned she took a larger piece of paper of sufficient capacity to contain her important message, to the composition of which she proceeded with much difficulty and many pauses and sighs.
CHAPTER XI
MR. ARRELSFORD AGAIN INTERPOSES
Nobody had any time to devote to Miss Mitford just then, for a perfect rain of messages came and went as she slowly composed her own despatch. Messengers constantly came in while others went out. The lines were evidently busy that night. Finally there came a pause in the despatches coming and going, and Foray remembering her, looked over toward the other end of the table where she sat.
“Is that message of yours ready yet, Miss Mitford?” he asked.