"Very well, my lad, the next boy who brings a telegram to this house
will be strangled, do you understand that?"
"Yes, sir," sighed the small boy, like a terror-stricken Zephyr.
"That's right. Good-night, my lad."
The Prophet closed the street door very softly, and the small boy
dropped fainting on the pavement and was carried to the nearest hospital
on a stretcher by two dutiful policemen.
Meanwhile the Prophet opened the telegram and read as follows:--
"Insufferable insolence. How dare you; shall pay dearly; with you
to-morrow first 'bus.
"JUPITER AND MADAME SAGITTARIUS."
"Mr. Ferdinand!" called the Prophet.
"Yes, sir."
"I am about to write a telegram. Gustavus will take it to the office."
"Yes, sir."
The Prophet went into the library and wrote these words on a telegraph
form:--
"Jupiter Sagittarius, Sagittarius Lodge, Crampton St. Peter, N. Your
life is in danger; keep where you are; another telegram may destroy you.
Grave news.
"VIVIAN."
The Prophet gave this telegram to Gustavus and then prepared to go
upstairs to his grandmother. As he mounted towards the drawing-room he
murmured to himself over and over again,--
"Sir Tiglath--Malkiel! Malkiel--Sir Tiglath!"
He found Mrs.
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