But not long did Nattie dare give way to her misery. That fatal message was not yet received.
Glancing over the few words she had of it, she read; "Send the hearse," and then she began anxiously "calling" "X n."
"Hearse," looked too serious for trifling. But either "X n's" attention was now occupied in some other direction, or else he—or she—was too much out of humor to reply, for it was full twenty minutes before came the answering,
"X n."
At which Nattie said as fiercely as fingers could, "I have been after you nearly half an hour!"
"Have you?" came coolly back from "X n." "Well, you're not alone, many are after me—my landlord among others—not to mention a washerwoman or two!"
Then followed the figure "4," which means, "When shall I go ahead?"
"Waxing jocose, are you?" Nattie murmured to herself, as she replied:
"G. A.—hearse—"
"G. A.—what?"