Smith, "but Miss Champers told me
to give you this note and to say that dinner is at half-past eight."
Alan took the note and asked to be shown to his room. Once there,
although he had only five and twenty minutes, he opened it eagerly,
while Jeekie unpacked his bag.
"Dear Alan," it ran: "Don't be late for dinner, or I may not be able to
keep a place next to me. Of course Sir Robert takes me in. They are a
worse lot than usual this time, odious--odious!--and I can't stand one
on the left hand as well as on the right. Yours,
"B.
"P.S. What _have_ you been doing? Our distinguished guests, to say
nothing of my uncle, seem to be in a great fuss about you. I overheard
them talking when I was pretending to arrange some flowers. One of them
called you a sanctimonious prig and an obstinate donkey, and another
answered--I think it was Sir Robert --'No doubt, but obstinate donkeys
can kick and have been known to upset other people's applecarts ere
now.' Is the Sahara Syndicate the applecart? If so, I'll forgive you.
"P.P.S. Remember that we will walk to church together to-morrow, but
come down to breakfast in knickerbockers or something to put them off,
and I'll do the same--I mean I'll dress as if I were going to golf.
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