Jonah and Co Part 44

"Have you dealt with the weather?" said I.

The stars, which had stopped dancing, leaped again into life.

"Fully," she said.

"And the place?"

She nodded.

"And the people staying in the hotel?"

"I've just said they're all very dull."

I wrote rapidly. Then--

"'The people here,'" I read, "'are nearly all very dull.'"

For a moment she looked at me. Then she picked up her pen.

"How," she demanded, with a dazzling smile, "do you spell 'nearly'?"

"Only one 'r'," I replied. "Same as 'adorable.'"

'Nearly' went down--rather shakily.

I pulled up my cuffs.

"'Spanish furniture,'" I said, following my pen, "'is like the Spanish--on the large side. Everything is too big.'"

"'--too big,'" said my lady, with her head on one side. "You see, my confidence in you is supreme."

"One moment," said I. "There's only one 'w' in 'sweet,' isn't there?"

"Yes," she said, bubbling. "Same as 'awful.'"

I cleared my throat.

"'The table, for instance,'" I continued, "'at which we--I am writing, is simply huge. If it were only half as wide, it would be much more--er--convenient.'"

The two white shoulders began to shake with laughter.

I thought very swiftly. Then--

"New paragraph," I said.

"Half a page more," breathed my companion.

I frowned.

"'They have,'" I announced, "'quite a good Casino here.'"

Our two pens recorded the statement.

"'The great thing to do is to go there after dinner.'"

The custom was reported in duplicate.

"'But I'm not going to-night,'" said the girl, "'because----'"

"But----"

"'--I've got to do my packing.'"

I groaned. Then--

"'But I shan't go to-night,'" I declared, "'because I'm going to help a friend pack.'" I looked up cheerfully. "Yes?"

"'I shall look forward," she said, smiling, "'to seeing you again--some time.'"

"'Soon.'"

The pretty head went to one side.

"'With my love,'" she said quietly.

"'Your devoted servant,'" said I.

For a second my lady hesitated. Then she signed a name, crammed her letter into an envelope, and rose to her feet.

The stars in the wonderful eyes had become misty, and there was a strange wistful curve to the exquisite lips.

For an instant we looked at one another. Then--

"Just 'Eulalie,'" she said.

The next moment she was gone.

I turned to see Daphne, Adele, and Berry a dozen paces away....

I advanced with what composure I could summon.

"I have been endeavouring," I said, "to atone for this afternoon."

There was a frosty silence. Then--

"So I see," said my sister icily.

Berry pa.s.sed a hand across his eyes.