"
A boy had left it half an hour before.
Be at my house at six, prepared to leave town at an hour's notice.
CARTER.
I hurried to Bedford Place, dived through the tunnel, and found
Fitzpatrick with his hand on the knocker. I followed him through the
narrow hall and into the dining-room. He had a duplicate, also marked
"Important" and "In haste," with this additional postscript: "Bring
address of a prudent doctor."
"What does all this mean, Fitz?" I asked, spreading my letter out.
"I give it up, Major. The last I saw of the colonel was at two o'clock.
He was then in the private office writing. That old wind-bag Klutchem
had been worrying him, I heard, and the colonel sat down on him hard.
But he had forgotten all about it when I talked to him, for he was as
calm as a clock. But what the devil, Major, does he want with a doctor?
Chad!"
"Yes, sah!"
"Was the colonel sick this morning?"
"No, sah. Eat two b'iled eggs, and a dish ob ham half as big as yo'
han'. He wa'n't sick, 'cause I yerd him singin' to hisself all fru de
tunnel cl'ar out to de street.
Pages:
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111