“It was a mistake; a frightful mistake!” Wilkins stammered. His voice trembled, and he was much wrought up. “Yes, sir, I acknowledge it,” he added; “it was a frightful mistake. But it was, I hope, not irreparable.”
Barlow lifted his hand as if he would strike the trooper in the face.
“Is it what I pay you for, to make mistakes like that?” he demanded angrily. “Aye, it was a frightful mistake; and I’m afraid it will have serious consequences. In Heaven’s name, how did you do it?”
“Well, the two letters were left on your table, sir, lying close together, and I was in a hurry. You had stepped out, and I thought I hadn’t time to search for you; and so I snatched up the two letters. I got them mixed, and threw to the girl the one that had in it the nugget of gold. But——”
“Curse you for an idiot, Wilkins!” snarled Barlow. “I ought to pistol you for that.”
“Of course, it wasn’t intentional, and——”
“Well, keep your head closed about it!” Barlow snapped. “Don’t say anything; not a word to anybody.”
He left Wilkins, and went on hurriedly and angrily.
He had not recovered his temper when he reached the house where the girl had been lodged with Mrs. McGee, this particular house being a part of the cook room, for of the things which Mrs. McGee did one was to supervise the cooking at the fort. She met Barlow at the door.
“Can I see her?” he said. “And how is she?”