"Will you come in?" she said, "and I will see you presently."
Mr. Diggs accordingly re-entered the house, and Irene went up to her room to change her dress. She managed to detain herself until tea was announced and then invited Mr. Diggs to the dining-room.
After tea the little fellow followed her back to the parlor, and she resigned herself to be bored for an hour or more by him, but did not yet suspect the real cause of his visit.
"Hem—hem," began Mr. Diggs, "Miss Irene, these are troublous times."
"They are indeed," answered Irene, from her seat opposite the loquacious Mr. Diggs.
"We don't know one minute what will happen the next."
"No, we do not," said Irene, who really did not imagine what was to happen on this occasion.
"Hem, hem! two large armies are raising."
"So I am informed," said Irene.
"And they mean destruction to each other."