"After all," said Darragh, smiling, "if it's only money that worries you, why not talk about a job to me!"
Stormont flushed heavily: "That's rather wonderful of you, Jim——"
"Why? You're the best officer I had. Why the devil did you go into the
Constabulary without talking to me?"
Stormont's upper lip seemed inclined to twitch but he controlled it and scowled at space.
"Go to bed, you darned fool," said Darragh, carelessly. "You'll find dry things ready. Ralph will take care of your uniform and boots."
Then he went into his own quarters to read two letters which, conforming to arrangements made with Mrs. Ray the day he had robbed Emanuel Sard, were to be sent to Trout Lodge to await his arrival.
Both, written from the Ritz, bore the date of the day before: the first he opened was from the countess Orloff-Strelwitz:
"Dear Captain Darragh:
"— You are so wonderful! Your messenger, with the ten thousand dollars which you say you already have recovered from those miscreants who robbed Ricca, came aboard our ship before we landed. It was a godsend; we were nearly penniless, — and oh, so shabby!
"Instantly, my friend, we shopped, Ricca and I. Fifth Avenue enchanted us. All misery was forgotten in the magic of that paradise for women.