Yours faithfully,
R. D’Arcy-Muir.”
Full of nervous hurry and excitement he posted these letters, and could hardly sleep all night for wondering what the answers would be. The next day brought him first of all a wire—“Keep up your courage. Miss Letty much better.—Desmond.”
Later on came a letter:—
“Dear Boy,
Yours is a sad and very common story, and this isn’t the time for reproaches. Miss Letty, who is an angel, never told me what had happened,—and I shall not mention to her, unless it is necessary, how you were trapped into de Gramont’s little den. Don’t trouble yourself about this ‘Marquis’; he is no more a marquis than I am, and he is particularly wanted to attend a little party given by the police. You will hear no more of your ‘honourable’ debts in that quarter. I wish you would be reasonable and let me come and see you. A little talk would do us both good, and I might be able to help you out of present difficulties. Keep on the square, and everything will come right.
Yours heartily,
Desmond.”
Boy gave a great sigh of relief. Miss Letty was better—thank God! The money was restored,—and the spectre of the “Marquis” de Gramont was dwindling and dissolving gradually into thin air like a black dream following on a bad digestion. And now—what should he do? One step more—and all was plain sailing. He made that step by writing to his employer and setting himself free of his daily business as a clerk. Then, without pausing to think any more about it, he walked rapidly down to a certain office in a certain quarter, where there were certain showy bills put up outside, the chief lettering on which seemed to be “Her Majesty” in very large capitals. There stepping in, he addressed himself at once to a neat and well-set-up man, in smart uniform, who was at that moment taking his “rest” in rather a novel way by standing very bolt upright against a wall and smoking.
“Are you the recruiting sergeant?” said Boy.
“I am, young feller! What can I do for you?”
“Oh, nothing in particular,” said Boy shyly, with a sudden smile which made his face very captivating. “I want to enlist, that’s all!”