But
before I'd been there a week, I was 'Jemima' or 'Aunt Jemima' to the
whole class. So I changed it myself, though it took a thrashing to make
two or three of 'em remember that my name was Jack."
"How did you happen to come here?" queried Allison, without much
interest.
"The man who was down here on the fifth sent me. He told me about you
and suggested that my existence might be less wearing if I had something
to do. He just passed along his instructions and faded gracefully out of
sight, saying: 'You'd better go, Middlekauffer, as your business seems
to be the impossible,' so I packed up and took the first train."
"What did he mean by saying that your business was impossible?"
"Not impossible, but THE impossible. Good Heavens, man, don't things get
mixed like that! All he meant was that such small reputation as I have
been able to acquire was earned by doing jobs that the other fellows
shirked. I'm ambidextrous," he added, modestly, "and I guess that helps
some. Let's play piquet."
When Rose came up, an hour or so later, they were absorbed in their
game, and did not see her until she spoke.
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