Mr. Torpenhow won't speak
to me any more. He's always looking at maps."
Bessie did not say that she had again laid siege to Torpenhow, or that at the
end of our passionate pleading he had picked her up, given her a kiss, and put
her outside the door with the recommendation not to be a little fool. He spent
most of his time in the company of the Nilghai, and their talk was of war in
the near future, the hiring of transports, and secret preparations among the
dockyards. He did not wish to see Dick till the picture was finished.
"He's doing first-class work," he said to the Nilghai, "and it's quite out of
his regular line. But, for the matter of that, so's his infernal soaking."
"Never mind. Leave him alone. When he has come to his senses again we'll carry
him off from this place and let him breathe clean air. Poor Dick! I don't envy
you, Torp, when his eyes fail."
"Yes, it will be a case of 'God help the man who's chained to our Davie.' The
worst is that we don't know when it will happen, and I believe the uncertainty
and the waiting have sent Dick to the whiskey more than anything else."
"How the Arab who cut his head open would grin if he knew!"
"He's at perfect liberty to grin if he can. He's dead.
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