Page:The Mystery of the Sea.djvu/144



A SECRET SHARED

HERE is so much to tell" I said "that I hardly know where to begin. Perhaps I had better tell you all here, where we are alone and not likely to be disturbed. We have come so fast that we have lots of time and we need not hurry. When you have had your lunch I shall tell you all."

"Oh please don't wait till then," she said, "I am all impatience. Let me know right away."

"Young woman" I said sternly "you are at present insincere. You know you are ravenously hungry, as you should be after a twenty mile ride; and you are speaking according to your idea of convention and not out of your heart. This is not convention; there is nothing conventional in the whole outfit. Eat the food prepared for you by the thoughtfulness of a very beautiful and charming girl!" She held up a warning finger and said:

"Remember 'Bon Camarade—without prejudice.

"All right" I answered "so it shall be. But if the lady wants to hold me up for criminal libel I shall undertake to repeat the expression when, and where, and how she will. I shall repeat the assertion and abide by the consequences." She went on eating her sandwiches, not, I thought, displeased. When we had both finished she turned to me and said:

"Now!" I took from my pocket the rescript of 130