The willing fellow, still with a smile on his face and a cheery look, started to do my bidding. I do not know how I should have borne up during those two terrible days, but for my faithful friend.
He had not been gone above half a minute before he came bounding back to my room.
"A message jist 'a come, yer honour!" he cried.
Eagerly I snatched it, and read—"Expect me home to-night by the midnight train.—KAFFAR."
I caught up a time-table and anxiously scanned it. The telegram was from Nice. There was a train due from this fashionable seaport at 12.30.
The lodging-house keeper had kept his word, and Kaffar would be safe. It was become intensely real, intensely exciting!
Five hours to wait—five hours! Only those who have felt as I did can know what they meant.
At twelve o'clock I sent Simon to the station, while I went to the lodging-house to await Kaffar's arrival.
"Mr. Kaffar will have supper, I suppose?" I said to the proprietor of the house.
"Yes, I shall prepare supper."