The butler looked at them all as if they interested him, and withdrew.
"Well," cried Mrs. Frayling, her patience exhausted. "Is it from her?"
"Yes," Mr. Frayling replied, "It was handed in at the General Post Office at—"
"The General Post Office!" Major Colquhoun ejaculated. "What on earth took her there?"
"The hansom, you know," said Mrs. Frayling. "Oh, dear"—to her husband—"do read it."
"Well, I'm going to, if you'll let me," he answered irritably, but delaying, nevertheless, to mutter something irrelevant about women's tongues. Then he read: "'Don't be anxious about me. Have received information about Major C.'s character and past life which does not satisfy me at all, and am going now to make further inquiries. Will write.'"
"Information about my character and past life!" exclaimed Major Colquhoun.
"Why, what is wrong with my character? What have I done?"
"Oh, the child is mad! she must be mad!" Mrs. Frayling ejaculated.
Mr. Frayling fumed up and down the room in evident perturbation. He had not a single phrase ready for such an occasion, nor the power to form one, and was consequently compelled to employ quite simple language.
"You had better make inquiries at the post office," he said to Major Colquhoun, "and try and trace her. You must follow her and bring her back at once, if possible."