Page:An African Millionaire.djvu/252

Rh was from our enemy himself—but most different in tone from his previous bantering communications:—

'Saratoga, Friday. '—Herewith I return your dispatch-box, intact, with the papers untouched. As you will readily observe, it has not even been opened.

'You will ask me the reason for this strange conduct. Let me be serious for once, and tell you truthfully.

'White Heather and I (for I will stick to Mr. Wentworth's judicious sobriquet) came over on the Etruria with you, intending, as usual, to make something out of you. We followed you to Lake George—for I had "forced a card," after my habitual plan, by inducing you to invite us, with the fixed intention of playing a particular trick upon you. It formed no part of our original game to steal your dispatch-box; that I consider a simple and elementary trick unworthy the skill of a practised operator. We persisted in the preparations for our coup, till you pulled my hair out. Then, to my great surprise, I saw you exhibited a degree of regret and genuine compunction with which, till that moment, I could never have credited you. You thought you had hurt my feelings; and you behaved more like a gentleman than I had previously known you to do. You not only apologised, but you also endeavoured voluntarily to make reparation. That produced an