"I shall be only too happy," said I; and with these words I took my departure.
I went home, and went to bed at once. But I lay awake, a prey to many thoughts. Those thoughts did not refer to O'Halloran, or to his Aydipodayan Ipopaya. On the contrary, they referred altogether to the ladies, and to the manner in which they had heard my narrative.
What was the meaning of that?
And my speculations on this passed on even into my dreams, and thus carried me away into
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE FOLLOWING MORNING.—APPEARANCE OF JACK RANDOLPH.—A NEW
COMPLICATION.—THE THREE ORANGES.—DESPERATE EFFORTS Of THE JUGGLER.
—HOW TO MAKE FULL, AMPLE, COMPLETE, AND MOST SATISFACTORY
EXPLANATIONS.—MISS PHILLIPS!—THE WIDOW!!—NUMBER THREE!!!—LOUIE
RAPIDLY RISING INTO GREATER PROMINENCE ON THE MENTAL AND SENTIMENTAL
HORIZON OF JACK RANDOLPH.
"Well, old chap," cried Jack, as he burst into my room on the following morning, "what the mischief were you doing with yourself all last night? Come, out with it. No humbug. I was here at twelve, lighted up, and smoked till—yes—I'll be hanged if it wasn't half-past two. And you didn't come. What do you mean, my good fellow, by that sort of thing?"
"Oh," said I, meekly, "I was passing the evening with a friend."
"The evening! The night you mean."
"Well, it was rather late," said I. "The fact is, we got talking, and I was telling him about my adventure on the ice. We had been at the concert first, and then I went with him to his quarters. By-the-way, why weren't you there?"