Page:Biggers and Ritchie - Inside the Lines.djvu/223

 ? Is anything wrong?" She ran up to him and laid her hands on his shoulders.

"Of course not, dear." He kissed her lightly on the brow. "Now run along and play with that new gown Miss Gerson gave you. I imagine that's the most important thing on the Rock to-day."

Lady Crandall gave her soldier-husband a peck on each cheek, and skipped back to her room. When he was alone again. General Crandall resumed his restless pacing. Resolution suddenly crystallized, and he stepped to the desk telephone. He called a number.

"That you. Bishop?… General Crandall speaking.… Bishop, you were here on the Rock seven years ago?… Good! … Pretty good memory for names and faces, eh?… Right!… I want you to come to Government House for tea at five this afternoon. … But run over for a little talk with me some time earlier—an hour from now, say. Rather important.… You'll be here.… Thank you."

General Crandall sat at his desk and tried to bring himself down to the routine crying from accumulated papers there. But the canker