"But I turned my attention back to the preamble and reread it
twice. The fellow, an American, has a queer cocky irregular
style: but he can write when he chooses: and in one shot he so
fairly hit me between wind and water that I had to steal the
book, carry it down to my cabin and copy out the passage for
your benefit. . . . Yes, for yours: because it conveys something
I've been wanting you to understand about this chase of mine,
something I couldn't have put into words though I'd tried for a
month. I enclose it herewith. . . .
"When I had finished my copying, I took the thing back, meaning
to slip it under Miss Denistoun's cushion. But she had returned
to her chair, and so I was caught red-handed. 'So it was you?'
said she. 'What have you been doing with my magazine?'
'Skimming it,' said I--which was true enough, literally, but I
didn't manage it very well. 'Did you find anything to interest
you specially?' she asked. 'Well, yes,' I admitted;' I picked
it up and lit on something that promised well: but the story
came to nothing.
Pages:
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258