“As if anything could when I am ruined, utterly ruined!” he moaned.
“But how? Please tell me,” she urged.
Slowly he raised his haggard face and looked up at her. There could be no question but that she was full of sincere sympathy and concern for him. Her eyes shone upon him with all the motherly tenderness that any good woman, however young, has in her heart for those who suffer.
“It’s all in this––this letter,” he muttered brokenly. “Expected my remittance in it––Got ruin! ruin!”
“It had been opened,” suggested the girl. “Perhaps those who took your outfit also took your remittance money.”
“No, there wasn’t any––not a cent! My valet had my written instructions to open it and cash the money orders––that weren’t there! He and the guide––they came back. The letter had told them all, all! I was not here. They took the outfit––the money––divided it. Left that note––they had no more use for me.... Ruined! utterly ruined!”
“But if you wish us to run them down?”
“No––good riddance! What they took is less than what I owed them. Ungrateful scoundrels!”
“That’s it!” approved the girl. “Get up your spunk. Cuss, if you like. Rip loose, good and hard. It will ease you off.” 46
“It’s no use,” he groaned, slumping back into his posture of abject dejection.