Calhoun began to pace up and down. "Besides her land forces," he resumed, "England is despatching a fleet to the Columbia! I doubt not that the Modesté has cleared for the Horn. There may be news waiting for you, my son, when you get across!
"While you have been busy, I have not been idle," he continued. "I have here another little paper which I have roughly drafted." He handed me the document as he spoke.
"A treaty—with Texas!" I exclaimed.
"The first draft, yes. We have signed the memorandum. We await only one other signature."
"Of Van Zandt!"
"Yes. Now comes Mr. Nicholas Trist, with word of a certain woman to the effect that Mr. Van Zandt is playing also with England."
"And that woman also is playing with England."
Calhoun smiled enigmatically.
"But she has gone," said I, "who knows where? She, too, may have sailed for Oregon, for all we know."
He looked at me as though with a flash of inspiration. "That may be," said he; "it may very well be! That would cost us our hold over Pakenham. Neither would we have any chance left with her."