“No, don’t be alarmed! They have not met! but they have gone off to one of the Channel islands, to carry out their intentions. And Dick and myself are going to follow them with police sufficient to stop the duel by force, if we cannot do it by persuasion.”
“When do you leave?”
“By the three o’clock train. It is one now, and we should leave the house a little after two; we have not much more than an hour to prepare; so, my dear, I wish you would just order us up a lunch, and then go and see to having a change of underclothing and a few pocket-handkerchiefs put up for Dick and myself.”
“Yes;—but now—Drusilla? She is asleep. Of course, you would not wish her disturbed?” said Anna, pausing at the door.
“By no means! For every reason, let her sleep until we are off. We must go without bidding her good-by. And we must trust to you, Anna, to make our apologies to her, and also to explain our absence, without telling the cause of our journey.”
“A most difficult task, my dear grandpa; but I will undertake it,” said Anna, as she left the room.
The General and his nephew also went to their chambers to put themselves in what Dick called traveling rig. When they returned to the drawing-room they found their lunch on the table, and their two portmanteaus on the floor, and Anna presiding over these preparations.
“Half past one o’clock! We have scarcely an hour now to get our lunch and reach the train in time. Sit down at once, Dick,” said the General, placing himself at the table.
Dick and Anna followed his example.
“Where is little Lenny? I would like him to take lunch with us this last time before we go. Where is he, Anna, my dear?” inquired the General.