"
"I am perfectly certain that he cannot, sir. Don Pedro--as I
said--was left behind in Genoa."
"Humph!" said the Professor, unconvinced. "He could easily
employ a third party."
Random rose, looking and feeling annoyed.
"I assure you that Don Pedro is a gentleman and a man of honor.
He would not stoop to--"
"There! there!" Braddock waved his hands. "Sit down: sit down."
"You shouldn't say such things, Professor."
"I say what I desire to say," retorted the old gentleman
tartly; "but we can dismiss the subject for the time being."
"I am only too glad to do so," said Random, who was ruffled out
of his usual calm by the veiled accusation which Braddock had
brought against his foreign friend, "and to get to a more
agreeable subject, tell me how Miss Kendal is keeping."
"She is ill, very ill," said the Professor solemnly.
"Ill? Why, Hope, whom I met the other day, said that she was
feeling very well and very happy."
"So Hope thinks, because he has forced her into an engagement."
Random started to his feet.
"Forced her? Nonsense!"
"It isn't nonsense, and don't dare to speak like that to me, sir.
I repeat that Lucy--poor child--is breaking her heart for you."
The young man stared and then broke into a hearty laugh.
Pages:
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130